Niaz Uddin. Pic: Taslima Begum and Radhika Seth
Stallholders have given a mixed welcome to plans to spend £11m on regenerating Whitechapel High Street market in a bid to attract tourists and boost the local economy during the Olympic Games.
Tower Hamlets Council has announced that it will re-vamp Whitechapel High Street along with neighbouring markets, which are estimated to generate £21 million towards the local economy each year, in an effort to upgrade the area.
The borough’s Mayor, Lutfur Rahman, said he wants to use the Olympics to ‘leverage investment’ to help improve Whitechapel Market. The scheme has also been designed to provide a safer and more attractive public space. Development to improve the pavements, shop frontages and public spaces are currently underway.
New bin storage areas will be installed along with new lighting, improved electricity supplies and provision of water for the stall holders.
EastLond0nLines went to the market to talk to traders about the planned boost. Some welcomed the plans, but others doubted whether it would bring lasting benefits.
Clothes stall owner Solaman Howlard, 34, is upbeat about the market’s face-lift. He said: “Change is needed and Tower Hamlets council must support local businesses during the Olympics. The area needs to be improved visually to help bring in tourists.” But Niaz Uddin, 28, seller of jewellery and other accessories, said: “The re-vamp will bring a good change to the area and benefit people working here.[However} I think the changes will only last for a while and eventually things will return to their current state.”
Uddin said that real transformations can only occur when the council ask people who live and work in Whitechapel what should be improved. He added: “We know the problems that exist in the area and small changes can make big difference.”
Another stall owner L. Abraham, 54, also selling clothes, said that he believed that residents should be consulted more.
“The re-vamp is not really worth it because there are certain individuals in the area that will make it look undesirable regardless of any changes.”
He added: “There are not many visible changes other than the road improvements, but Whitechapel doesn’t need changing. I like it the way it is.”
However fellow stall worker Jahidul Haque, 20, selling electronics and phone accessories, was more optimistic about the positive impact the changes will make to the area.
“It’s really hard to do business in Whitechapel as conditions here are not very good, so change is welcome. Hopefully these changes will bring in customers, therefore improving both business and conditions,” Haque said.
Words: Taslima Begum and Radhika Seth
Every day it seems another Paddy Power betting outlet goes up on Whitechapel high street, or another ‘Perfect Fried Chicken’ appears (to accompany the 60 other places selling fried chicken in a 2 mile radius). The high street is covered in rubbish and the market sells the same Chinese landfill crap that the world doesn’t need. The stall owners fight an yell at each other and the homeless and the sick puke and drink outside the entrance of the tube station.
It is a shame, because the area has a lot to offer. But the money that is promised to Whitechapel, won’t be seen by Whitechapel. It never is.
Dear Taslima Begum and Radhika Seth
Whitechapel market is not on Whitechapel High Street and you should know the Street before writing.
Whitechapel market is on Whitechapel Road and area name is Bethnal Green South.
Regards
Thanks for pointing that out. It will be amended.
Terry Kirby
Supervising tutor, Goldsmiths.