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Green light given for Chesterfield’s Market Hall

Chesterfield Borough Council has announced the appointment of local construction company, G F Tomlinson, to undertake the refurbishment of the town’s iconic Market Hall|.

The Council selected Derby-based G F Tomlinson following a competitive re-tendering process, after it failed to agree a tender price with the original contractor in March this year. The cost of the construction works at £3.6 million is within the Council’s budget for the project.

Councillor John Burrows|, Leader of Chesterfield Borough Council said: “We are pleased to be working with G F Tomlinson as our construction partner. They are a local firm, with an excellent track record and have come in with a very competitive price. It was unfortunate that we had to re-tender the contract, as it has delayed the scheme, but it has saved nearly £1.4 million, so there’s no question that it was the right decision to make. We are delighted that we can finally give the go ahead for this much needed refurbishment.

“The new tender isn’t at the expense of the quality of the scheme and the original planned design still remains. By employing a local firm we’ll also have more opportunities to sub-contract with local suppliers and companies, giving local people employment throughout the construction phase.”

Work on the Market Hall is due to start on site in September 2012, with a completion date of early September 2013. The existing stall holders in the Market Hall will be relocated to a temporary market hall on New Square with the Council working with tenants to help in their relocation.

Stuart Lawrence, Managing Director of G F Tomlinson said: “The Market Hall is one of Chesterfield’s most famous buildings so it’s a fantastic project for us to be involved in. As a local Derbyshire contractor, we are very committed to giving something back to the communities we work in. Therefore we always adopt a ‘think local’ policy on procurement and will be inviting local suppliers and sub-contractors to quote for works on this project. This will provide a boost to the local economy by generating local employment opportunities and recycling the ‘Chesterfield’ pound.”

Source:Chesterfield Borough Council

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