Menter Aberteifi has been successful in their bid for funding to get shoppers back into Cardigan Market Hall. After beating off stiff competition they have been awarded £109,974 from the Coastal Communities Fund. The announcement was made just after Christmas so now the work starts to rebuild confidence in the Market Hall as a viable place of business and as a centre of the community.
In the past, Cardigan Market Hall was the destination for local people to buy local produce but gradually traders found it difficult to compete with the mass production of the growing number of supermarkets and out of town shopping facilities. Nowadays the tide has turned again and shoppers are more concerned about issues such as food miles and freshness, and visitors look for unique gifts to take home with them. Cardigan has a wealth of these goods and this is an opportunity to display them in an historic and unusual environment.
Menter Aberteifi will use the award of £109,974 together with match funding from their own revenue to help re-establish and develop Cardigan Market Hall as a sustainable business hub for market traders and micro-enterprises.
Ann Stokoe, General Manager said.
“Since taking over management of the Market Hall from Ceredigion County Council in July last year we have increased the number of stalls being occupied and now we need to make sure that local people and visitors know about the range of goods and services on offer.”
Menter Aberteifi also manages the Guildhall, Cardigan River and Food Festival, www.visitcardigan.com and has been involved in many regeneration projects in the area since forming in 1999.
The Coastal Communities Fund is funded by the UK Government with income from the Crown Estate’s marine assets. It is delivered by the Big Lottery Fund on behalf of the Government and the Devolved Administrations in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.