A HEALTHY living charity has announced plans to revive Shipley’s flagging indoor market and bring it back to life.

Starting this week, HALE (Health Action Local Engagement) has taken over the running of the privately-owned market in a bid to fill its 16 empty stalls.

The charity has recruited former British Red Cross business support worker Jane McCarey to be market manager with a brief to making the indoor venue a “go to destination.”

The market has a capacity for 42 stalls for it to be full and HALE hopes under its management that it will become a trading place for local artists and makers as well as for budding entrepreneurs.

The initiative will be non-profit making for HALE said Mrs McCarey who added the big bonus of taking on the task will be to bring benefit to existing traders and the wider community, providing a showcase for talent and new skills learned.

“We hope to rekindle the vibrant market that it once was and bring in people selling their own produce, a small bakery maybe, arts and crafts.

“We want it to be a go-to-destination, a place that people head to. One of the idea is to have themed-markets.”

London Associated Properties, who own the building and its landmark clocktower, put the proposal to HALE first and will still be responsible for taking on new tennants and taking the rent.

Agent David Priestley said:”It’s HALE’s patch and we think they will be a good fit. We’ve been impressed by their work and they have a lot of local interest. We’d been looking at ways to see how the market could flourish or be better and we’d been thinking of operating it on a social enterprise angle.”

He added: “The agreement is for the remainder of this year to see if they can put a plan and strategy together which would allow them to take it for a longer term and we wish them every success.”

HALE is now approaching nearby colleges and other charities who work out of the Shipley area to stir up interest in taking stalls.

The plan includes making the market a flexible space with trading areas for entrepreneurs and artisans and for health drop-in zones, job clubs and workshop areas where people can develop their skills.

HALE already runs woodwork and sewing workshops and has a Workshop on Wheels (WOW) initiative, where people have the opportunity to make small items on the charity’s converted buses out and about in the community.

Anyone interested in hiring a stall or wanting to try making and selling items should contact HALE on 01274 271088 or email info@haleproject.org.uk tofind out more.