It’s the biggest tourist attraction in Cork city, the historic heart of ‘town’. But between a “falling down” roof, empty stalls and toilets “so below par it isn’t funny” – Leeside’s English Market has its fair share of problems.
That’s according to traders at this bustling Cork hub, many of whom have worked there for decades and know the historic location better than anyone. Stallholders say the market is a “gem” in the city centre – but feel it’s underappreciated and decades overdue for vital regeneration works.
There are also issues with finding new traders – owners Cork City Council are making big efforts to get new businesses in, with all the details on how to apply and get trading here – but there are three big stalls currently empty and one of them, a former butchers, has been ‘dark’ for four years.
Now however, it seems big plans for a major English Major revamp are underway as Co. Cork is set to receive €40m in new funding. It comes as part of a €400m investment nationwide, which includes renewal works for North Main Street and €7.5m to restore the historic trading hub. Outside of Cork city, €5m was allocated for the anticipated Blarney Civic Centre, as well as another €7.5m for Mallow Town Hall and the ambitious Theatre Regeneration Project.
New funds as part of the Towns and Cities Regeneration Investment Fund
We spoke to English Market stallholders about how they want the €7.5m funding to be used. We got a range of answers, but there was heavy overlap on a few key points that any market regular would agree with.
The first clear issue was the roof, which almost every trader told us suffers from troublesome leaking, especially during poor weather. Eoin O’Mahony, owner of the popular O’Mahony Meats butchers, said that if something isn’t done with it very soon, the roof might just “blow away.”
On the new €7.5m boost, he said: “Number one priority is that our roof is leaking and falling down. Meanwhile, our toilet facilities are so below par it isn’t funny. People probably think the investment will give this brand new look. But realistically, they will need twice the money to bring this up to standard.”
Concerns have been raised about the market’s old building on a number of occasions in recent years. Cork Beo has previously reported on the crumbling facade at the old market’s entrance on Grand Parade, which needed a specialist building restoration group for repairs.
Eoin O’Mahony, owner of the popular O’Mahony Meats butchers
Many traders feel that the market is kept like a “house furnished for sale” – in that whenever there is a special visitor, major effort is put in to clean and decorate.
But as soon as the VIPs are gone, everything goes back to normal with spotty upkeep. Eoin added that when Queen Elizabeth came, there was a major clean-up of the premises with powerhousing around the entrances – but this sparkly-clean look didn’t last long.
Alan O’Loughlin, manager of the Ballycotton Seafood stall, expressed the same opinion: “When Prince Charles visited, I had never seen the market looking so good – why can’t that happen all the time? They had live plants everywhere and pots, which looked really well.”
He also raised concerns about the roof: “The roof is a huge issue, it’s just old, a bit leaky, needs to be done, long overdue. But there are so much smaller issues that need looking at. This is a gem in the city, the draw is huge, we supply all the restaurants in the city. It needs to be looked after, it’s underappreciated.”
Alan O’Loughlin outside the Ballycotton Seafood stall
Others at well-known stalls, including The Roughty Fruit King, warned that other smaller factors were having a big impact on footfall. And the most important of these – the toilets.
Trader Stephen O’Shea said he wanted the new €7.5m to be put towards drawing in more customers, and basic facilities are a key part of this. He added: “I don’t know if they can do anything, but there’s only one cubicle there. If they could get bigger public toilets. It’s just a major inconvenience, there’s a lack of public toilets in Cork in general. There’s people coming in here, and they’re just looking for toilets.”
Emily Moriarty and Niamh Murphy, of On The Pigs Back cheese and charcuterie stall, also flagged the toilets – particularly the ladies’ – were in need of a big clean-up. They also wanted more done to fill up the vacant trading stalls. As they stand, these empty units are being used as storage and eating spaces by members of the public.
They said: “There’s a whole line of empty stalls, people going in behind them, eating in them, leaving rubbish. Someone left their bike in there. They’re too accessible at the moment, even if there was cones there or something.”
Clodagh Barrett of The Meat Centre stall is now approaching her third decade in the market, after starting by helping out her parents at only 11-years-old. She further stressed that vacant stalls give a very bad look, and have a direct impact on footfall.
Clodagh Barrett, daughter of the owner of the Meat Centre stall
She said: “We need to get more shops in here, as you can see, this side of 50% empty. If you compare our aisle to the other one over here, you can see how much brighter it is, there’s more footfall – it does make a difference. Bresnan’s Butchers have been gone now for four years across from us, still empty.”
Nearby The Meat Centre, the team at the much-loved Cork Rooftop Farm stall also stopped trading weeks ago – almost three years from when they first opened there in 2023.
Clodagh also said some of the new money would be well spent on security. She recalled a recent incident in which a stallholder had to literally chase someone who had swiped some of their products without paying.
And while all traders were hopeful about the future of the English Market – they had their doubts about whether the vital funding would even arrive in the first place. Or if it did, how long would it take for the needed works to finish?
Empty stalls in the English Market
The new €7.5m investment is part of the ongoing Towns and Cities Regeneration Investment Fund. While previous grants have been targeted at specific building projects, the Department of Housing said the latest round of finance is mainly centred on tackling long-term vacancy and dereliction.
The €400m total for Ireland will come with some conditions, as councils will have to meet specific targets to unlock the finance. They will also have to present fast-track projects for works that can begin as early as within the next 12 months. There have already been 119 projects nationwide identified for funding.