“My store has been in the Grainger Market since 1929. It was started by my grandfather, was then run by my father and now here I am, flying the flag.” Robinsons Pet Store, Britain’s oldest pet store, ran by Nick Robinson, is right here in these alleyways and arcade in the Grainger Market, in the centre of the city centre.
Situated in the heart of Newcastle stands a piece of living history: the Grainger Market, opened in 1835 as part of the city’s bold neoclassical redevelopment. Nearly two centuries on, it remains much more than an architectural gem – it is a vital part of Newcastle’s economy, culture, and everyday life.
As debates continue about the future of our high streets, the Grainger Market shows us what can still thrive: people-centred, independent, affordable, and local.
A market for the ages
Named after developer Richard Grainger and designed by the visionary John Dobson, the Grainger Market was once one of the most modern indoor markets in Europe. With its elegant colonnades and vaulted ceilings, it housed everything from butchers and fishmongers to a Marks & Spencer Penny Bazaar – still trading today and believed to be the world’s oldest surviving M&S shop.
Today, the market supports over 100 small businesses. These traders – many family-run – bring life and livelihood to the heart of the city. From traditional food stalls to artisan gifts and international street food, the market showcases the diversity and creativity of the North East.
A community anchor and economic engine
Markets like Grainger are more than shopping destinations. They’re places where people meet, chat, discover, and belong. They offer an antidote to the anonymity of supermarkets and the impersonality of online retail. For older residents, they’re often a daily social lifeline. For young entrepreneurs, they offer an affordable step into the world of business.
Economically, the Grainger Market plays a powerful role. Local authorities estimate that the market contributes millions of pounds each year to Newcastle’s economy, with low-cost units providing entry points for small, independent traders. This in turn supports local supply chains – from Northumbrian farmers to Tyne-based bakers.
And with support from the UK Government’s Levelling Up Fund, the market is underway with a major £8.2 million restoration. This restoration project includes roof renovations, accessibility upgrades, and flexible event spaces – all aiming to bring new life to this historic space while respecting its roots.
Lessons from Bury, Borough, and Bologna
Newcastle is not alone in recognising the power of its market. Across the UK and Europe, cities are investing in markets as anchors for sustainable, inclusive urban development.
Take Bury Market in Greater Manchester: over 250,000 visitors a week, generating more than £20 million a year for the local economy. Or Borough Market in London, where high-end traders, food festivals and community programming have helped reinvigorate the London Bridge area. Or further afield, Mercato di Mezzo in Bologna, where local produce, regional culture, and architectural restoration come together to support a sustainable and resilient city centre. This is a market I know and love, having spent many months living in that other fabulous city.
These places aren’t just surviving – they’re thriving. And they do so by combining local loyalty with national recognition, tradition with innovation.
A vision for Newcastle
For Newcastle, the Grainger Market can be a beacon for how we rethink urban economies. It embodies heritage, sustainability, and community enterprise – principles that should guide us as we rebuild after years of economic and social turbulence.
To fully realise that potential, we must do more than restore bricks and mortar. We need to champion local markets in policy and public life – supporting small traders with affordable rents, encouraging cultural events, and integrating markets into tourism, food strategies, and climate goals.
The Grainger Market is not a relic. It is a resilient, living space – and one of the North East’s greatest civic assets.
We know the value of markets, as places of commerce, as public meeting places, as demonstrations of place and location celebrated through the variety of local goods and wares.
in Newcastle we are lucky to have the Jesmond Food and drink market in Armstrong Bridge, curated by the talented team of Food and Drink North East, and the increasingly popular Ouseburn market, established in the pandemic, promoting arts and crafts and quickly becoming a city destination, I’m proud to have played my part in supporting Gavin and Jasmine in initiating this now hugely popular market, and event in the city calendar.
As we look to the future, let the market it be a model not only of how cities can survive, but how they can thrive – through people, place, and pride. more than just a place to shop. They’re essential to the city’s identity, economy, and future. And they need to be loved and supported, so next time you are in the city centre, why not take a stroll through this amazing city asset, it’s a feast for the eyes as well as your belly, talk to the stall holders and hear their stories, buy something from the wide variety of stalls, investing in today and ensuring there is a tomorrow for this wonderful place in the beating heart of our city.
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