A new era has begun for the historic Victorian Market in Inverness with hopes that it will help revitalise the city centre.
Locals and visitors flocked to the opening of the first businesses in the newly-refurbished former meat trading hall and fish hall.
Although the opening was low-key and without fanfare in the wake of the Queen’s death, the new-look central space still attracted a great deal of interest and excitement.
So what’s new?
As part of a £1.6 million project, the market hall area was closed in January 2021 and redesigned to accommodate 15 new food, drink and retail businesses.
The anchor of the new-look food hall is Muir of Ord’s Bad Girl Bakery, opening in the city for the first time.
A new, sister company Good Girl Greengrocer is making its debut.
The Highland Street Food Pop Up is taking outdoor catering inside, with different businesses rotating.
Moonshine, an off-licence offshoot of the Malt Room, has opened and will be joined in a few weeks by the linked Inverness Whiskies.
Vegan restaurant Salt N Fire is also due to open soon.
It is hoped other tenants will take up the vacant spaces in the coming months.
Douglas Hardie runs Bad Girl Bakery with his wife Jeni Iannetta.
He said: “It’s been a long gestation period, but the doors are now open, people have come in, there have been queues and tables are full.
How can it help the city centre?
“We are very pleased. It’s a lovely showcase for us. We have a huge following in Inverness and people have been asking us for years when we’re going to open here.
“Food and drink is one of those drivers that brings people into the city centre to spend more time.
“It will play a small part in revitalising the centre.
“Inverness has not had anything like this before. But now people can see what’s on offer and see it’s a lovely place and a great experience.”
Jeni added: “It’s beautiful. They have done a really good job with the refurbishment and we’re delighted to be part of it.”
Matt Macpherson runs the Malt Room and Moonshine.
He said: “It’s been a long time coming. It’s a beautiful building that’s been underused for a wee while.
More businesses to follow
“When you go to major European cities the focus is always the old town. People like to be in historic buildings with a modern twist.
“So I think this will do wonders for our city centre.”
He hopes Inverness Whiskies will be unveiled in about six to eight weeks and that other traders will follow.
“When you see these projects, it’s quite hard to picture them finished. But now with a few completed units everyone thinks it looks fantastic.
“Hopefully, other vendors and businesses will be attracted to the area and see the opportunities we see.”
One of the vacant units is being used for a book of condolence for the Queen at the moment.
But a pop-up unit is giving other traders a chance to see what a permanent pitch could be like.
The pop-up unit is a joint venture involving the Highland Food and Drink Trail, the Inverness Common Good Fund and Macgregors Industrial Supplies.
It will be occupied by different outlets – existing street food traders and new businesses – for a short period at a time each.
Trail director Douglas Hardie said: “It’s a way for people to get a place in the city centre for a short term and see how they get on.
Development pathway for new enterprises
The first occupier of the pop up is Bruce Warrington, owner of Ollie’s Pops.
He said: “It’s very exciting, and good to be part of this when it’s just opening.
“The pop up is a great opportunity for people to find their feet. I definitely want to get a unit myself so it’s good to be part of this.”
What do market visitors think?
Among the first to sample the food in the refurbished market were Janet Blair and Jane Armitage, visiting Inverness for the first time from North Yorkshire.
“It’s very bright and airy, better than being stuck inside a café or outside”, said Jane.
“It’s a nice mix of the modern and the old.”
Janet added: “We just learned it was open and walked through and the decided this is where we wanted to have lunch.
“So it made a good impression on us.”
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