Top award for management team at Kirkgate Market

The management team at Leeds Kirkgate Market have been recognised for going above and beyond the day job during the current refurbishment works.

The team collected a top award – Market Team of the Year 2015 - at the annual conference of National Association of British Market Authorities (NABMA) earlier this week.

The award recognises that Leeds Kirkgate Markets team is an exemplar to other market service in the country.

It was made in recognition of “all the work done over and above the ‘day job’ during the refurbishment works to Kirkgate Market, and in particular to highlight the extraordinary achievement of temporarily decanting the fish traders to Butchers Row”.

Graham Wilson OBE Chief Executive, NABMA

“On this occasion we felt that the Leeds Market Team were worthy recipients. Faced with a major redevelopment project the Market Team have worked hard to ensure that changes take place as smoothly as possible. It is also clear that they have been willing to go "the extra mile" to help traders and market management. Such commitment to delivering excellent support services deserves recognition.”

Councillor Gerry Harper, Leeds City Council’s markets champion, said:

“Enabling Kirkgate Market to continue trading successfully during the current refurbishment works has required an extraordinary amount of planning and organisation by the markets team, so this award is very well deserved.

“The redevelopment of Kirkgate market is one of the most exciting projects taking place in Leeds today, and will result in a modern, highly successful, profitable and sustainable destination market which will be a centre of excellence for independent retailers and entrepreneurs. However, it is a complex project in a listed building and in a live retail environment. The markets team have shown that they are up for the challenge and have been helping to ensure that traders can keep trading and that footfall levels are maintained whilst this vital work is taking place.”