Bigg Market Consultancy Project 

Identity derives from the way a place functions. The Bigg Market does not link the day and night time economy. The public realm and architecture further play into this. Architecturally it is home to some of the city’s finest buildings, yet it’s the shop fronts of the takeaway outlets that overpower the streetscape. A walk through the Bigg Market in the current day can leave you bamboozled trying to figure out what this area actually ‘is’.

​

The view of the people

 

When questioned about what brings them to the area, as well as their positive/negative and associated memories, it revealed an interesting split that works against the preconceived idea that drinking is the only thing that people associate with the area. As shown in Figure A below, retail and restaurants/cafe’s were mentioned in 50% of responses, and often drinking or bars were not mentioned at all. This feeling of an identity crisis was a prevalent theme across the range of people that we interviewed in the Bigg Market, with each age group associating the area with different functions.

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

Over 55s

 

From the questionnaires, the older generation held mostly positive memories of the Bigg Market. The 1950s and 60s appeared to be the peak of these memories, with several people mentioning how they enjoyed the space when there was a vibrant market. 

​

“ I used to enjoy the market life here in the 50s and 60s...it’s not like that today”

​

​

“The 60s were a vibrant time throughout the day, not just during the night. Less trouble was associated with the area compared to nowadays”

​

 

The market provided the area with a vibrant daytime economy. It gave a purpose to visit, separate from the drinking. It appears that this age group has a willingness to see the market return to the area and believe it would reignite the area. Several respondents told us that they still felt the area was a pleasant enough place to visit through the day, and that they did not fear the space or feel uncomfortable passing through/using it. 

​

It is important not to overlook the fact that the Bigg Market has always been, and will always be a drinking hotspot; it has been this way for centuries. However, it is the level and style of drinking that has changed drastically since the halcyon days of 1950 to 1980. The traditional “boozer” experience has been replaced with an afterhours binge drinking culture, aimed at capturing students and a younger crowd. There is a clear backlash against this trend within the older generations, with numerous respondents telling us that they wouldn’t want to visit this area at night anymore. One respondent told us that:

​

“During the 60s in my youth I used to come here for a drink, it was a popular drinking area. I still think it’s a nice pleasant space to visit through the day, however its changed since my time and I wouldn’t come here at night anymore. I think the current nightlife is ruining the area”.

​

 

Aged 35 to 54

​

The middle aged bracket held a relatively similar view to the older generation, with key overlapping themes running through their responses. There was still an intrinsic alliance with drinking; however a strong association of public space use was common. The 1990s in particular appeared to be the pinnacle of this. Two male respondents we spoke were quick to tell us of the positive memories they had in the area during the 90s:

​

 “For a few summers in the 90s, big screens and seats were set out and football was screened. It was a really bustling and good use of the space”

​

 

“I remember the summer of 1993 when [Kevin] Keegan got us promoted, the party in the space was amazing”

​

​

In response to the question “What negatives do you have about this area?” 80% of all responses from this age group mentioned the decline in the public realm (see Figure B). It is obviously a feature of the Bigg Market that means a lot to this age group due to their memorable experiences.  

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

Aged 18-34

​

The more youthful visitors are very aware of the social stigma of the area. For a generation that has grown up with social media and the internet, they have been bombarded with the constant reports that show the Bigg Market in a negative light. Despite this bleak first impression, the majority of people we spoke to recognised the slow but recent change in the area towards cafes and restaurants. When prompted on the regeneration of the public realm, numerous respondents were aware of the proposals and were looking forward to a brighter future for the area. One female respondent (an employee of a local business) told us that:

“I’ve heard there are plans to relay the paving and refresh the seating, even doing something as minor as this will give the area a boost, I feel”.

​

​

It was clear from our conversations that the younger visitors to the area were keen for a move up in ‘class’ of the area, away from the tacky bars and more towards the offer available on High Bridge Street and Grey Street. There is a growing young professional workforce the city, and this is a market that would attract their attention. It is vitally important that the youth of the city take ownership of the area, as it is they who are most likely to input into the economy and make or break the Bigg Market. It is promising that so many of our responses from young people were not just slating off the area, and rather focused on the near future of regeneration and hope.

​