Over the course of the last 12 months the McGoff Group has been busy behind the scenes investing heavily in Market 41. They have legally acquired the land, finalised the design of Market 41 and started speaking to interior designers regarding the look and feel of the food hall. They have also commenced a pre-construction programme, which includes the clearing of the site, working with quantity surveyors to review the materials required for build and liaising with suppliers so that a budget for the cost of the building itself can be calculated, and collating additional costs, ie: business rates.

They have also established a sizable Market 41 team, with several specialist companies assigned to assist with the delivery the project; Street Design Partnership on the architecture and design, No Chintz and Philosophy PR. McGoff Construction has been appointed for the build, which includes planners, estimators, design managers, health and safety consultants plus support services, and at the Altrincham Head Office, a team of five directors and managers will play an integral role in this project.

The McGoff Group are absolutely committed to delivering Market 41 and the operating and financial model is now in an advanced position. With Market 41 being a truly bespoke new build food market hall, the first of its kind In the UK, they have naturally faced some challenges with regards to operation and management. They have taken their time to come up with some innovative solutions that will ensure Market 41 is a success from day one, both for the company and the traders involved. The next step is to secure circa £3m funding for the build, then they can start on site. The McGoff Group have a meeting scheduled with Trafford Councillors at the end of this month, at which they will be requesting local authority assistance with regards to the business model, financial liabilities and the way in which business rates will be apportioned for traders.

In terms of traders, interest from potential operators has been overwhelmingly positive with hundreds of applications received. The McGoff Group regularly meet with traders to feed into the project and keep them updated on its progress. They have also started to compile a really strong shortlist of traders, which they believe to be the right mix for Urmston, and will soon be entering into advanced discussions with all of the potential operators. The McGoff Group are excited about Market 41 and believe anticipation is really starting to mount, not only in Urmston but across the North West, which is fantastic and a great platform to build upon. They believe that food markets are the way forward, presenting exciting opportunities for operators and local job creation, but also in bringing communities together.