Why Market Hall proves ‘if you build it, they will come’

Here, in his latest monthly column reflecting on the news over the past month, our Press and PR Executive Robin Johnson looks at the headlines.

In my opinion, some of the best movies ever made were from the 1980s.

Among my favourites is Field of Dreams, a 1989 film about a farmer (played by Kevin Costner – he was in everything at the time!) who builds a baseball pitch in one of his cornfields after hearing a mysterious voice saying: ‘If you build it, he will come’ – the ‘he’ being the ghost of legendary player Shoeless Joe Jackson.

It has become one of the most recognisable quotes in movie history – and, over time, has become part of our lexicon.

Those in the regeneration community of a more optimistic disposition are often heard to use it – albeit the slightly altered version – ‘If you build it, they will come’.

It was certainly a phrase that was going around my head as I looked up at the cavernous ceiling of Derby Market Hall, which reopened to the public in May following a £35 million revamp.

Of course, the Market Hall had already been built – 159 years ago to be precise.

But for the past few years it had been closed for its major refurbishment.

The big question was whether people would come back once it reopened?

The answer on the opening day was an emphatic ‘yes’.

I don’t know about ‘If you build it, they will come’, a more appropriate phrase would’ve been ‘You’re going to need a bigger boat’ (from Jaws, another of my favourite movies).

According to Derby City Council, more than 34,500 people visited Derby Market Hall during its opening three days alone.

That’s just a shade over a full house at Derby County’s Pride Park Stadium.

As well as being home to a myriad of independent traders and makers, Derby Market Hall is also the new home of the Derby City Lab.

Previously, the lab, which aims to engage the public in the city’s regeneration story, had been located at the Derbion shopping centre, where it signed off by welcoming its 20,000th visitor.

It achieved this impressive landmark while hosting an exhibition, which was part of an ongoing public consultation about the future of the former Assembly Rooms.

Provisionally named Derby MADE, the plans include a visionary new, multi-use community building on the site of the former Assembly Rooms.

The consultation is still open – and I would encourage you all to visit the website https://marketplaceredevelopment-derby.co.uk/ and share your thoughts.

Anyway, back to the Market Hall. The lab has gotten off to a flying start since opening there – attracting an astonishing 6,000 visitors in its first week.

If you’re ever in the area, please do pop in and have a go on the lab’s swanky new touchscreen (supplied by Hardy Signs).

Derby Market Hall is the latest piece of the city centre regeneration jigsaw – and there are more to come – as attendees at this year’s UKREiiF discovered.

Held in Leeds, UKREiiF (or the UK Real Estate Investment and Infrastructure Forum to give it it’s full title) is a major property event, which brings together delegates from all over the country.

At last month’s event, Derby sent a strong public/private sector delegation, led by Marketing Derby and Derby City Council, to outline the investment opportunities that exist in the city – and to give an insight into the factors driving Derby’s economy as part of the wider East Midlands Combined County Authority pitch.

One of those key factors is Rolls-Royce, which is currently investing heavily in what has been described as a ‘nuclear renaissance’ – with Derby at its very heart.

For many years now, the team here at Marketing Derby have been extolling the virtues of investing in this great city of ours.

So, it was great to see this pitch backed up by a report in The Sunday Times, which named Derby as one of the best places to invest in property in 2025.

The article stated: “The opening of the £46 million Becketwell Live (now called Vaillant Live) arena, multi-million-pound revamps for the Market Hall and theatres, and a pipeline of new homes suggests that this is a city on the up.”

And who are we to argue?

Finally, the month of May always brings us the announcement of the latest King’s Award winners – and I’m pleased to say there were two Marketing Derby Bondholders among this year’s recipients – Upbeat Clean and Cosy Direct.

Each of them has extra reason to celebrate. In Cosy’s case it is the fact that this is the second time it has won a King’s Award.

And in Upbeat Clean’s case, it has earned the distinction of becoming the first Derbyshire firm to receive the King’s Award for Promoting Opportunity through Social Mobility.

I’m delighted for both, but particularly Michael Gladwell and his team at Upbeat Clean, which was founded in 2023.

It doesn’t seem that long ago since he was standing on stage collecting Marketing Derby’s Rising Star Award.

Since then, this ethical cleaning firm, which provides cleaning services to local firms by employing refugee women in Derby, has gone from strength-to-strength, winning new contracts with a number of our Bondholders.

Now, in just two short years since being founded, Upbeat Clean is off to Buckingham Palace. That’s quite a story.

But I suppose, if you’re made of The Right Stuff (another hit 80s movie) then success will come!

Anyway, have a safe and productive June and I look forward to catching up with you again soon.