Food market to hold final event before demolition

A street food market based at a former factory site is to host its final event before the space is demolished to make way for a housing development.

Bustler Market in Derby has operated from The Chocolate Factory site in John Street since 2020 but will be taken over as part of the Castleward regeneration scheme near the city centre.

The final event is taking place on Saturday while organisers continue to find an alternative location.

Bustler Market founder Liv Pritchard said: "We're not giving up, we're not saying this is the last time we'll ever have a presence here and we're hopeful that day will come again."

Derby City Council initially said the market had to close in June, but its lease was extended in August to the end of 2025.

Council planners said it was working on planning for the fifth phase of the residential redevelopment scheme, which included the Bustler Market site.

Castleward is a £100m "urban village" redevelopment of largely industrial land between Derby Midland Railway Station and the city centre, which has been ongoing in phases since it was approved in 2012.

The market began at Derby Bus Station in 2017 and moved to The Chocolate Factory in 2020.

Ms Pritchard said they were supposed to be moving out two years ago but the landlords behind Castleward allowed the market to continue by extending their lease.

"It's a very sad thought... we wanted to put something great on for the city and we didn't want to have to travel to other places to go and enjoy it," she told the BBC.

"Since we've first started, it's been incredible the support we have had and the amount of people come through our doors. Moving to the current site has completely transformed our business.

"There's been a search on for the last two years but it's hard trying to find a space that would fit in what we want to do as a business.

"We want to have something that is more in the city centre, maybe a bit more permanent than what we've had."

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