Eccles Artisan Market

Following our wider work with Salford City Council to review Eccles Market and define its future role within the town centre, Next Phase was commissioned to facilitate and evaluate a pilot artisan market as part of the town’s ‘Get In!’ Festival.

Working in partnership with Independent Street, a well-established artisan market operator with a strong track record across the North West, the pilot brought a curated artisan offer into Eccles town centre. Independent Street led on the organisation and delivery of the market, drawing on their expertise to attract a high-quality mix of traders and create a well-executed event alongside a programme of family-friendly activities.

The purpose of the pilot was not simply to deliver a successful market, but to test the role that this type of activity could play in supporting regeneration, increasing footfall, and reintroducing regular activity into the town centre.

Despite persistent heavy rain throughout the day, the market saw 56 traders take part and attracted approximately 4,500 visitors, making it Eccles’ busiest trading day in over 15 months. Feedback from traders and businesses was notably positive, with 93% of traders indicating they would return and strong reported uplift in trade for local businesses.

Next Phase’s role focused on facilitation and evaluation, ensuring the pilot generated meaningful insight to inform future decision-making. This included engagement with traders, local businesses, customers, and stakeholders, alongside analysis of trading performance, operational delivery, and licensing considerations.

The findings have been consolidated into a clear evidence base, with recommendations that explore how market activity could be introduced and scaled over time, with quarterly markets now planned. This work provides Salford City Council with a practical and low-risk foundation for shaping future market provision as part of Eccles’ wider regeneration.