The redevelopment of the Victorian inner city fruit, vegetable and flower market on St Mary’s Lane in Dublin has finally been given the green light after Dublin City Council agreed to borrow €30 million to ensure the project goes ahead.
Six years after its closure and after countless calls for a permanent market space to be established in Dublin 7, it is set to reopen “following an extensive refurbishment and fit-out programme”.
It has been the aim of the council to have the market open by the autumn of next year but that may be pushed out to 2027.
The new market will host a range of food producers with a “quintessentially Dublin” focus, previously outlined by chief executive officer Richard Shakespeare.
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The market’s offerings will reflect the business and restaurant offerings currently in the city.
The fruit, vegetable and flower market (also known as the Dublin Corporation Wholesale Markets) operated from 1892 until its closure in 2019. At this time, the last remaining wholesale traders vacated to allow for a “major redevelopment project”, which it was understood would take two years to complete.
Fine Gael councillor Ray McAdam formally backed the project and told the meeting that the market is a “flagship project” for the city and will be a “massive attraction and opportunity” for tourists and those involved in the industry, adding that it will “regenerate” the local community.
Deputy mayor and Green Party councillor Donna Cooney welcomed the project and pointed out that quite a “significant loan” over 15 years was being taken on even though there would be €1.76 million in annual revenue.
Sinn Féin councillor Janice Boylan said the market will “only be successful” if it is affordable for the local community. Cllr Boylan said that “it is a project she has been involved with since 2010” and that the council has to spend to make the market a success.
Independent councillor Christy Burke supported the borrowings. “I grew up in the area and that market supported a lot of employment. It will be money well spent if it comes up to the standard of Cork’s English market. This will bring life back into the area,” Cllr Burke said. He pointed out that there needed to be a traffic plan for the area with regard to safety.
His Independent colleague, Cllr Vincent Jackson, added that the market “is a great opportunity” for the city but that “did not want to see any potential overruns on the budget”.
“I think we need to stay away from the international chains as it will die very quickly. It needs to be different and unique,” Cllr Jackson said.
However, another Independent, Cllr Cieran Perry, highlighted that it is “not ideal that it is being privately run”.
“This has to be uniquely Irish and I have full faith in the council to ensure that this will happen,” Cllr Perry said.
Acting executive manager Brendan O’Brien thanked the councillors for supporting the project. Mr O’Brien reiterated that the operator will look after the maintenance of the building.
