Defining a future use for a stranded asset is only half the challenge. The other half - often underestimated - is working out who will own it, who will run it, and how it will sustain itself over the long term.

This question is not a technicality to be resolved once funding is secured. It shapes everything: the types of use that are feasible, the funding routes available, the level of ongoing council involvement, and whether the building will still be thriving in ten years or quietly struggling within three.

Every town has buildings that have slipped into limbo. Former civic buildings, such as town halls, outdated commercial blocks, heritage structures without purpose, and market halls that no longer trade effectively. These stranded assets sit in the most visible parts of town, yet they resist easy answers.

They are too costly to maintain, but often too prominent to ignore. And while they wait for a solution, they quietly undermine wider regeneration efforts. A decaying landmark in the wrong location sends a message about a place's direction. It weakens investor confidence. It frustrates residents. Doing nothing is not a neutral act.

When people picture a Christmas market, they think of wooden chalets, fairy lights, mulled wine and happy shoppers. What they don’t picture is the spreadsheet of road closures, the endless risk assessments, or the frantic hunt for one last trader who can do weekends two and three. 

Empty department stores, underused basements and tired retail units are a genuine challenge for town and city centres. They drag on footfall, confidence and investment. But the answer is not simply to point at the void and decide it should become a food hall. A food hall can be a powerful solution, but only when the numbers, the market and the operating model are aligned from the start. Without that alignment, even the most exciting concept can become an expensive, short-lived experiment.

As of September 2025, there are 94 food halls operating across the UK, up from 73 last year, a 26% year-on-year increase. Across all multi-vendor operations (MVOs), the total now stands at 139, up from 114 in 2024, a rise of 22%. A further 58 sites are currently in development, compared with 52 last year.

Behind the Counter: Nick Johnson MBE on Markets, Independence and Regeneration

In this opening episode of Beyond the Counter, a podcast by me&u, hosted by Simon Anderson of Next Phase, we sit down with Nick Johnson MBE, founder of Altrincham Market, Mackie Mayor and the Picturedrome. Widely credited with kickstarting the UK’s modern food hall movement, Nick shares his no-nonsense views on regeneration, independence and why soul can’t be CGI'd.

This is a conversation about more than food; it's about placemaking, people, and the power of doing things differently. For anyone working in markets, hospitality or urban change, it’s a must-listen.

The recent opening of Padel Parx at the Cotton Works has completely shifted my perspective on the role sport can play in regeneration projects. I’ll admit, I’ve been cautious in the past about the risks of following “booming” sports. But seeing first-hand the passion of padel players, and the sheer fun and exhilaration the game creates, I’m now thoroughly sold.

Manchester is currently the most vibrant and exciting city in the UK when it comes to hospitality, especially in food halls. As the Manchester Evening News recently described, food halls are now “a trendy food and drink phenomenon taking the city-region by storm.” But what’s driving this wave, and is it sustainable?

Let’s break it down.

Something feels missing in many customer experiences today.

You walk into a shop or café, look around for help, and find no one. You might complete your entire visit without speaking to a single person. There's no welcome, no advice, no expertise. Just self-service tills and a quiet sense that you're on your own.

This shift isn't limited to retail. It’s becoming common across sectors — from hospitality to services and even professional settings. Efficiency has taken priority, and with it, much of the care and personality that used to define how we engage with businesses.

As a parent of two Gen Alpha kids, I know everyone thinks their children are special, but hear me out. There’s something genuinely different about this generation. Despite growing up in a world of tablets, TikToks and voice notes, Gen Alpha (currently aged 8–15) feels oddly analogue. They remind me more of Gen X than any generation since: independent, curious, socially conscious and surprisingly offline.

It’s great to finally see this and other recent positive stories in the press highlighting the resilience and potential of our industry. I’ve been out here banging the drum for quite some time.

This story, alongside strong performance results from the likes of Market Halls, is shining a light on the real opportunity for growth in the food hall sector. But just like the wider hospitality industry, we must still proceed with caution. The recent closure of Department in Sheffield, the first in over a year, is a reminder that this isn’t a guaranteed win.

National Geographic recently highlighted their thoughts on Europe's best market and food halls, shining a spotlight on how these vibrant spaces have become central to modern tourism and placemaking strategies. Today's market and food halls offer much more than just diverse culinary experiences; they are powerful catalysts for urban regeneration, economic vitality, and community cohesion.

AI today feels like the wild west days of the Internet in the mid-to-late 90s, fast-moving, full of fear and hype. If you look back and see how the Internet reshaped almost every part of our lives, you have to acknowledge that AI will do the same, likely tenfold, making the fear around its unchecked expansion understandable.

This past weekend, I found myself in central London with my nine-year-old daughter, on a mission to find a Labubu. If you know, you know. If you don’t, consider yourself lucky.

Our quest took us through several Pop Marts, but it was most pronounced in Selfridges’ toy department, where there were queues of over two hours for the JellyCat fish and chips experience. The Full Experience Set—a cuddly fish, chips, mushy peas, and sausage—costs £165. The most striking thing? At least 90% of the customers were adults.

Last week, we attended Inntegra and Home Leisure Direct’s “The Power of Play” event, and one thing was crystal clear: competitive socialising is reshaping how people choose to spend their leisure time.

UKREiiF 2025 gave us exactly what we hoped for, focused conversations, valuable connections, and real momentum around the issues that matter most to towns and city centres.

The acquisition of Shelter Hall from Sessions by Market Halls could prove to be a pivotal moment for the UK food hall sector. While the number of food halls and multi-vendor venues remains modest compared to the broader hospitality industry, the revenue potential far exceeds that of most traditional formats.

Great to see this spotlight on Bury Council’s ambitious approach to regeneration.

I’ve been fortunate to work with Bury Council several times over the years – most recently on the new Prestwich Market Hall and the Flexi Hall event space in Bury, both mentioned in the article. It’s fantastic to see their continued commitment to markets and community spaces taking shape.

At Next Phase, we work across all kinds of regeneration and property projects – from major food and market halls to meanwhile uses, listed buildings, and full high street strategies.

But sometimes, it’s the simple street market that reminds me why we do what we do.

Having consulted on countless markets over the years, I’ve seen first-hand the role they can play in transforming places. Markets like Hitchin – which I visited recently – really capture what makes them so special. These are more than just trading spaces. They’re community anchors – full of personality, resilience, and local character.

Last week, the Government confirmed the 75 local authorities awarded revenue funding to support local plan preparation and delivery under the new Plans for Neighbourhoods scheme. With funding now available, the task isn’t just to dust off old plans—but to sharpen, adapt, and deliver them with renewed purpose. Having supported several towns in developing their Long Term Plans under the previous administration, we’ve learned a few things that may help.