Wirral maps out Birkenhead Market’s future
After five years of pursuing and then abandoning different proposals for the trading hall, the council has decided to move vendors into the former TJ Hughes site and vacant units at The Grange shopping centre, and to demolish the market’s 48-year home.
The saga of Birkenhead Market is befitting the institution’s 190-year history, which saw it expand in the 1800s and then change locations from the current site of the Town Hall to its present-day home in the Grange precinct in the 1970s after two fires.
While locations have changed, the market has remained.
Wirral Council has voted to keep the spirit of the market alive by moving the existing 31 traders en masse to the former TJ Hughes unit at the Pyramids shopping centre. TJ Hughes left the space in 2021, and the unit has been vacant since.
Traders who would rather not move to the Pyramids will be able to open up at refurbished units at The Grange shopping centre.
Leader of Wirral Council Cllr Paula Basnett said: “When I became Leader of Wirral Council, ensuring that we developed a viable new plan for the market, in partnership with the traders and with openness and transparency, was a top priority.
“This new way forward will see traders find a new home in the heart of the town centre, helping to support the sustainability of their businesses as well as growing a new era for Birkenhead Market. I now look forward to us pushing these plans forward into reality as quickly as possible.”
The proposal solves three problems: activating vacant units in the two council-owned properties (the shopping centres were acquired by Wirral Council in 2023), saving the council from continuing to fund an out-of-date market building (the market operated at a loss of £750,000 last year), and freeing up the current market site for demolition.
Refurbishing the current market hall was considered, but indicative costs put the price tag at £22m.
Wirral Council will now be exploring the building of an outdoor market and event space on the current market site.
How we got here
This is the third plan for Birkenhead Market from the council within the past five years.
In November 2021, the local authority had decided to build a new market hall on the former House of Fraser site. £1.5m was spent on this project before it was abandoned in March 2024 to pursue what was meant to be a cheaper option – refurbishing the former Argos site to be a new market.
Designs were approved, preliminary works completed, a contractor appointed in principle, and £1.3m spent before this, too, was deemed unsuitable. The council decided on 10 September 2025 to abort this plan.
Next steps
The chief executive will be overseeing the next chapter of Birkenhead Market’s story. This includes conducting consultation exercises, securing costs and contractors, and appointing project teams for the demolition and future outdoor market square. Wirral Council’s economy and regeneration committee will be kept abreast of developments through regular reports.
Funds for the Birkenhead Market project will need to be spent by the end of March 2028, as per the terms of the £12m allocated from the council’s grant from the Local Regeneration Fund.
Sounds a sensible solution given what’s happened to date
By Stolen from Ivor
What a crying shame for my home town of Birkenhead – it could/ should have been so much more
By Johnny come lately
Still though?
By Anonymous
Really underscores the broken politics of Wirral and how its finances aren’t going to be sorted anytime soon.
The exisitng market has been losing money for years, indoor markets almost always lose money (even in the centre of Liverpool), so even if there is capital funding from Westminster, it will continue to be a drain on the revenue budget.
Even if pivoting more to a food hall concept it’s notoriously difficult to manage/apportion the costs, and that’s without showing where customers who can afford it are coming from.
But because the council is under no overall control and seems likely to stay that way, nobody wants to take responsibility for pulling the plug, even by proposing a move to much cheaper outdoor stalls and moving some traders into the many vacant units.
Meanwhile Wirral Council slips further towards bankruptcy.
By Birkenheading Nowhere
Only 31 traders? That’s because WBC destroyed the existing market. It became a ghost town. How much taxpayer money will they spend on this before binning it? Amateurs simply cannot do a professional’s job.
By Gil Fleming
It would be Wonderful to see Birkenhead town thriving again. Paula Basnet , Leader of the Council has the right idea , she wants to see the market open and fit for business. It is a fact that Market towns are always happier places to live and visit. We need to get the Market up and running. With a selection of stalls . From fresh produce to meat , fish and Fashion .Prices need to be competitive or shoppers will go elsewhere . Competition is healthy . Birkenhead Market has been at the heart of Birkenhead for many decades ,and it is imperative to have a thriving market in order to regenerate Birkenhead and reverse falling future customers . I for one Loved the Market , the variety , the quality , the buz and the social chatter .with the proposed regeneration of Birkenhead ( The new homes to be built ) ,the market would help to re-establish a retail base for the people in all these new homes . Which is within walking distance ..
By Dawn Maria Allsopp
Well done to the present leaders of the council for getting this sorted
By Anonymous
More wasted tax payers money 2 million spent all ready and nothing to show for it heads should roll
By Michael
When I was growing up Birkenhead Market was the place to shop. This set of councillors should resign in shame. Redevelopment has become a joke, as a council tax payer, its a sham. Local businesses have well gone forever. WBC is an absolute joke.
By Jackie Sutton
Fantastic idea
By Nicola Campbeññ
Wirral Borough Council don’t forget the much used cycle lanes!
By Anonymous
I can rember how coach parties from wales came to birkenhead to shop,there are so many empty shops and stalls inthe market i dont think birkenhead will ever be the same.
By Anonymous
Well let’s hope the council doesn’t go down the road of another pink elephant like the other shambles the last two schemes have been
By Michael Roberts
What a shame, the council has let all Birkonians down. We ask comment and gave honest feedback to people asking about our town centre. What has progressed? Nothing. The local public should be involved in a more fair and open way. It is appalling all the money that has been wasted. Local councillors should have stepped in and worked together. If you require our votes when it comes round, then make an effort to speak to us face to face.i remember when the car would drive round our streets with a megaphone. Go back to the old days of simplicity.
By Local family born and bread
Please don’t, let this go ahead.Traders selling awful stuff cheap and tacky.
By Anonymous
Nothing wrong with current market hall , just needs glazing / extra brickwork in useless arches
By A F S
I remember the old market before it burnt down.
By Nick Spencer
It’s about time this was done and sorted! The people of Birkenhead are quite simply fed up with all the dilly dallying and money being wasted! The precinct is like a ghost town. Put Birkenhead back on the map so that all of the community and its people, can be proud again!
By Norma O’Neill