Developing Best Practice for Community Markets

Dr Myfanwy Taylor, School of Geography, Faculty of Environment

Responsive Mode Impact Fund

We propose to co-produce two best practice handbooks: HB1 - a market operators' guide to best practice in identifying and enhancing community value, and; HB2 - a guide for trader/community-run markets. The need for these resources was not known prior to the commencement of the ESRC 'Markets 4 People' (M4P) project and the handbooks will tailor our findings to specific stakeholder groups, to give them more opportunity to benefit.

M4P has generated an unanticipated wealth of examples of best practice for enhancing community value, such as embedding public services into market redevelopments. These have never been collated and recognised within national debate and, consequently, the need for HB1 was not previously recognised. Meanwhile, since our research began, increasing numbers of operators have explored regeneration schemes and new management models and interest, funding and support for community business and cooperatives has grown. These two factors have significantly expanded the potential for trader/community groups to run their own markets, necessitating HB2's guidance on the alternative management models and expertise required, whilst creating opportunities for M4P to engage with non-traditional market management groups and expand its dissemination.

Dr Myfanwy Taylor can be contacted by email: M.M.Taylor@leeds.ac.uk