Dinnington Market avoids closure as council finds new operator

Dinnington Market has avoided closure after Rotherham Council stepped in to find a replacement for its outgoing operator.

The council said the market faced shutting altogether after the private company running it announced it was pulling out of the town.

A new operator has now been secured, allowing traders to continue trading without interruption from Friday, November 6.

The announcement comes after a difficult period for the market, with traders raising concerns about antisocial behaviour.

Rotherham Council has not named either the outgoing or replacement operator in its latest announcement.

Simon Moss, the council's service director for regeneration and environment, said: “We know how important the market is to traders, shoppers and the wider community, so we have acted as quickly as possible to ensure it could continue trading and to secure its future for the people of Dinnington,” he said.

“We listened to traders who told us that any gap in trading could put the market’s future at risk.”

The council has also arranged new gazebos for traders who need them.

The market will remain at its current location until Christmas before moving temporarily to a site closer to shops on Laughton Road.

The relocation comes as the next stage of Dinnington's town centre regeneration gets under way, with demolition of the former market building expected to begin shortly.

The council said the temporary move would allow the market to continue operating while redevelopment work takes place.