Mayor hails "incredible progress" with sneak peek pic of £5m Corn Exchange upgrade

Work is ongoing to overhaul the Victorian building which has been the centrepiece of the city’s market for more than 150 years.

Sharing photos of the development, Mayor Ros Jones said: “Incredible progress being made at our Doncaster Markets Corn Exchange - wow!

“This stunning space will support a variety of events and provide an ambience to suit every occasion.

“We will continue to invest in our markets and city centre to truly level up Doncaster.

“A massive thanks to all the trades people carrying out this huge regeneration task on one of our most iconic listed buildings in Doncaster.”

Bosses are keen to see a string of new traders inside the building when it re-opens later this year.

The Grade II listed building closed its doors in 2022 for an ‘arts and culture’ revamp, which will see it repurposed with a variety of differerent stalls and arts spaces when it eventually re-opens.

Last year, a Doncaster Council spokesman said: “The next exciting chapter for the Corn Exchange will feature the introduction of ten sleek and modern trading units on the ground floor, versatile gallery spaces for a variety of uses, and a spacious central area bathed in natural light, perfect for hosting pop-up events and entertainment.

“This revitalisation project not only breathes new life into the area but also sets the stage for independent businesses to thrive and flourish.

“It's all about preserving the building's legacy and enhancing the offerings at Doncaster Market.”

The striking building, which dates from 1870, is being restored to its former glory in a multi-million pound makeover, following a successful funding bid to the Levelling Up Fund.

All the traders who were in there are now in Goose Hill (next to Fish Market) or the International Food Hall.

Another part of the money will be spent on renovating 70 shop fronts through on Scot Lane and Goose Hill with the aim of creating ‘a coherent and attractive landscape in the market area’.

Built in the Victorian era, it was designed to be a concert hall as well as a market building and Elgar conducted the London Symphony Orchestra there in 1909.

Sir Winston Churchill also made a speech at the building which was totally redeveloped following a devastating fire in January 1994 and at one stage in its history it also hosted live wrestling.

An extensive restoration project, revealed a medieval cemetery and some Roman pottery and the building was eventually reopened in 1997.