City's new fruit market thriving as first non-food sector trader moves in

14/09/2011

FOR 200 years, Hull's historic Fruit Market in Humber Street had been alive with the sound of traders.

Setting up their stalls as the rest of the city slept, the area would quickly come alive with bantering and bartering as wholesalers plied their trade from the historic street.

But all that changed in November 2009 when the traders relocated to a new purpose-built home in Priory Park.

Among the wholesalers who moved were established firms including Nellists & Co, Associated Growers and Dennis Butler.

In total, eight traders packed up and moved to the £3.5 million state-of-the-art building, leaving just four surplus units at the site – one of which has since been snapped up by Dennis Butler as an extension of the business.

Now, a new company has moved into a 12,023sq ft unit at the development, marking the first non-fruit trader to arrive there since its launch.

The negotiations were overseen by Garness Jones.

David Garness, managing director of Garness Jones in Beverley Road, Hull, said: "Four of the companies trading in the old Fruit Market did not continue to trade in the new one.

"So, after the traders moved to Priory Park there were four units surplus to requirements.

"Of the four units we are marketing, this is the second one to now be occupied.

"We let the first one to Dennis Butler Limited, a company that needed additional space after it had moved.

"The units have been constructed for general industrial, warehouse and distribution uses, so there is no stipulation that they have to be operating in the food sector."

The relocation of the Fruit Market to Priory Park was set to pave the way for redevelopment of Humber Street, with ambitious £100 million plans for 265 new homes, a hotel and a unit comprising of 64 shops and offices.

It was hoped redevelopment of the Humber Street area would begin in 2009, but these plans were put on hold because of the recession.

The new market has 12 modern units on 70,000sq ft of trading space over a four-acre site, with easy access to the A63 proving a particular bonus for traders.

Hull Forward spearheaded the move alongside developer ispace.

Mr Garness said: "ispace was responsible for developing the site and was instrumental in helping the traders relocate, while Houltons carried out the construction works.

"We advised on the new development in terms of values and rents, and also acted for a number of traders on the sale of their existing premises in Humber Street.

"I have had a long-standing involvement with the development – I first met with the Fruit Traders Association about ten years ago and have been heavily involved ever since."