Goldthorpe market set to return in new-look public square

Two new bold murals have just been completed, following work involving the community in both designing and painting the designs.

They are designed acknowledge the area’s proud heritage but also to look to the future and the opportunities that will hold.

A launch event has taken place to celebrate the completion of the artworks, attended by some of the school children who were involved in both creating the designs and painting them.

That could be a pivotal point in the importance of the square, on the site of the Horse and Groom pub.

Goldthorpe’s traditional market site was taken over for housing development as part of regeneration work in the area, with traders moved to the square.

That move was not successful, however, and trader numbers dwindled, leaving the community with no market.

Now Barnsley Council cabinet member Robin Franklin, who was present for the launch event, has revealed that work is going on to try to bring that trade back.

Hopefully, stallholders may return during the summer - to take advantage of good weather to promote a relaunch.

He told the Weekender: “What we intend to do is use it for performances and also bring the market back, to try again to get it going.

“I go back years, to when the market was really thriving and I see no reason we cannot bring it back.”

The council’s markets team is looking at options on how to make that work.