A new “ethnically diverse” market on Dublin’s Moore Street, which will open until 10pm from Thursdays to Sundays, is due to begin operating next month.
Dublin City Council last year sought bids to operate an additional outdoor market on the historic market trading street to complement the existing long-standing stalls.
The new market contract, which has an indicative budget of €240,000 for the next three years, follows the December 2020 report of the Expert Group on the Moore Street Market commissioned by the council.
The report recommended a plan to attract new stall holders to Moore Street to restore “vibrancy and variety” to the historic street market.
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Moore Street should be “regenerated into a dynamic, multicultural cross-generational, ethnically diverse buzzing street market that is steeped in history and character”, the report stated. “The current lack of diversity is a major drawback, and unlikely to garner any meaningful new business.”
The market “should be designed for the urban city resident and not for the tourist” to create “a vital community hub in the north inner city that serves many different demographics and cultures”, the report stated.
The new market will operate at 9.30am-10pm, Thursdays to Sundays, will remain food and “grocery-centred” with local growers of fruit and vegetables welcome.
“The existing fruit and veg, and fish stalls, will be joined by bakeries, condiments, growers and primary producers,” the report said. “Good quality groceries engenders loyalty and repeat business, and this needs to be nurtured in order to demonstrate that the market is a serious contender for customers. In addition to a solid core of grocery traders, there should be a selection of hot food traders reflecting the diversity of our city centre culture.”
The existing 17 stallholders, operating during the day from Monday to Saturday, will be able to take advantage of the extended weekend evening hours and Sunday trading.
“In particular the butchers and fishmongers currently and recently selling on the street should be given an option to operate hot food in meat and fish, for example in barbecue set up. Vegetable sellers should be given the opportunity to provide vegetarian/vegan hot food service,” the report stated.
Green Party councillor Donna Cooney, who chaired the market expert group, said she was delighted the new market was to start operations.
“The whole point of this was to bring the vibrancy back to Moore Street in particular, and the city in general.” Having a working street market would help attract people back to living in the city, she said.
“It ticks all the boxes in terms of climate action and resilience when people are able to shop locally in a market as well as having a night time offering that isn’t just focused on drinking.”
When asked who would be running the new market and how many stalls would operate, the council said it intended to bring a report on the market to local councillors early next month and it would be “premature of us to comment in advance of that”.
