The chequered history of Lancaster Market in pictures

After a devastating fire put paid to Lancaster’s old Victorian market in 1984, the creation of a new Lancaster market proved problematic from the outset.

The original market was at the time of the blaze under insured by the then Conservative administration and therefore they were unable to rebuild it.

The creation of a new Lancaster Market continued to be bedevilled by setbacks – to plans for a major shopping development (itself a victim of the 1980s ‘credit crunch’), relocation to the bus station and finally, the move to a building many always described as ‘not fit for purpose’.

In 2009/10, the market lost £461,000 and this was expected to rise to £492,000 in the next financial year.

The ill-fated market closed down for good not long after on September 10 2012.

Primark now occupies the former Lancaster Market building.

These pictures from our archives include ones of a hard fought campaign by traders to save their livelihood when closure of the market was threatened, as well as traders at their stalls and customers,

In case you missed them: Looking back: pictures remember Lancaster's much loved old market and the day it was destroyed by fire

Lancaster Castle pictured through the years including the handless corpse court case, its days as a prison and royal visits