Lincoln’s £8million Cornhill Market was supposed to give the city-centre institution a new lease of life. Less than three years after its relaunch, however, the council says it has “under-performed” and wants a private company to take over the day-to-day running.
Opposition councillors aren’t convinced, saying traders are worried about what happens next and demanding more answers before the plan goes any further.
The City of Lincoln Council will retain control of the £8million venue, but a new organisation will be responsible for the costs, income and a new business plan.
However, the Liberal Democrat group says there’s been no consultation with the public or traders, and that they want more transparency on what it will mean for the market.
They have used a local government process called a ‘call-in’ to hold a review of the decision at a council meeting next month.
Liberal Democrat Councillor Darrell Harding said: “We all want the market to succeed – it should be a key asset in the centre of the Cornhill, but, as we all know, it is not currently performing as planned.
“We are concerned at a lack of meaningful consultation with the market holders and a lack of communication as to what the decision will mean for them.
“We have spoken to several of them, and they are worried what the future holds and have asked for clarity.
“The purpose of the call-in is to seek clarity and greater transparency on the decision-making process. We are seeking a formal consultation with stakeholders and the public on the options presented in the report, instead of a rushed through decision.”
The decision will be debated by the Select Scrutiny Committee on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, which could choose to ask council leaders to reconsider it.
A private company is expected to be put in place within six to 12 months to implement a new business plan devised by retail experts.
Councillor Joshua Wells, who is responsible for economic development on the city council, said last week that the decision would help the market to “flourish”.
“The environment in which markets exist now is completely different to five or even 10 years ago,” he said.
“When we put forward a plan, there were a number of assumptions which were sound at the time, but things have changed a lot since then.
“We will have a new partner responsible for implementing the model and strategy, and the crucial thing is that the council retains control of the market.”
The council said they many markets were struggling in the current climate, and they were confident the Cornhill venue can succeed.
The new vision describes it as “a home for small businesses in the heart of the city, where fresh food, cooked food, interesting retailers, artisan makers, and specialists sit side by side”.
By Jamie Waller (Local Democracy Reporter)
