GUEST BLOG: "Use this place and make it your own, because Derby Market Hall is the future"

Let’s go back to the original vision behind Derby Market Hall. As it reopens for business, it’s worth remembering this is just the beginning - not the finished article, writes Wayne Hemingway MBE, partner of Hemingway Design.

Think of it like a young footballer bursting onto the scene, full of promise, exciting to watch, but with much more to come.

This moment signals the start of something powerful, something that can reshape not only the building, but the way people use and perceive the city. The Market Hall has always been a symbol of Derby’s civic heart. Now, it’s poised to bring new life and diversity into the city centre.

The aim is simple: to give people reasons to come together. To meet, to shop, to eat, to linger, and crucially, to return.

Courage and belief

Projects like this are rare, especially at this scale. The ambition on show here is remarkable, and it reflects the ambition Derby should have for itself. Derby City Council has played its part, investing with courage and belief. The building is ready. Now the baton passes to the people it was built for.

Who is it for? It’s for Derby’s communities - its residents, businesses, and visitors. When places like this don’t thrive, it’s usually because they aren’t embraced. It really is that simple. So, spread the word. Take a cue from Cllr Nadine Peatfield - spend here, invest in your own city.

Next time you're thinking of a meal out in one of Derbyshire’s picturesque market towns, pause and ask: could the city centre be the better choice?

Located at the city’s core, the Market Hall is about more than what happens inside. When the hoardings around Osnabruck Square come down this summer, the space will naturally extend outwards, linking Derby’s many assets.

A fulcrum and the focal point

It is the beating heart. If I lived here, this is where I’d want to meet friends, family, colleagues. Whether heading down Lock-Up Yard toward the Velodrome, the new Vaillant Arena, the cultural quarter, or Derbion – the Market Hall is the natural place to start. It’s the fulcrum. The focal point. The geographic and architectural centre.

Derby Market Hall also holds potential to help Derby retain its talent. The city has a brilliant university, but too many young people move away. That needs to change. This place must feel vibrant, dynamic, and full of opportunity.

Keep an eye on the events. Get involved. But don’t leave it all to the operators. This is a space that belongs to the city.

Bring the excitement to Derby

Seen a great pop-up market or performance elsewhere? Suggest it comes to Derby. Know a trader or artist who could shine here? Let them know. And when something exciting happens somewhere else - ask: why not here?

Derby has the second-highest disposable income in the UK outside London. The potential is there, and with the right ideas, the city centre can thrive.

Yes, wealth isn’t distributed equally, but Derby is home to giants: Rolls-Royce, Alstom, Toyota - global names just down the road. Imagine launching a new product here in the Market Hall. Showcasing innovation in the city centre. A space where industry meets community.

With more people moving in, more homes being built, it’s vital to create reasons to visit - and to return. This isn’t just about footfall. It’s about creating opportunity.

Markets have always been starting points. I know this first-hand - I began on two different markets at 19. Without them, my own story would have been very different. Markets change lives for young people, and anyone ready to take a chance.

Energy and commitment

Let’s be clear: this is a beginning. What happens next depends on fresh thinking, continued energy, and ongoing commitment.

The Council has shown leadership. Now, the future of this space lies with those who use it, support it, and bring it to life.

Because this isn’t just a building. It’s a statement about Derby’s future.

Why not Derby?

The world pays attention to the overlooked, the underestimated, the quietly ambitious. Cities like Norwich have transformed into cultural hubs in just a couple of decades. But Norwich doesn’t have anything quite like this. So, why not Derby?

Use this place. Make it your own. Let it be the meeting point, the daily habit, the go-to destination. Because that’s how transformation happens, when a space becomes part of people’s lives.

Derby can be a city people talk about. A city that surprises, inspires, and leads. And that future starts with the Market Hall.