The future of Nottingham's Cattle Market has been secured after a new deal was signed with a business that has been based there for over a century. The market first opened for business in 1886, with 100,000 animals a year passing through at its peak, and Saturday morning auctions at the site have become a fixture of Nottingham life for decades.
The company originally sold livestock from the Cattle Market before adding antiques to its offering in 1979. The company then chose to move solely into the antiques and contemporary sector in 1992 after the last livestock were sold, with auctions still being held every Saturday and featuring over 2,500 lots.
The managing director of the Cattle Market hit out at now abandoned plans in 2020 which would have seen the site demolished in favour of new flats and offices. An entertainment venue and a hotel could have also been based at the site, with developers saying it would have regenerated land north of the River Trent known as the Waterside.
Steve Holland, director of professional services at Innes England, who conducted the negotiations, said: "There has been uncertainty around the future of the Cattle Market for almost 20 years. Now, following a lengthy and challenging process or negotiation, we have now come to an agreement that will benefit Arthur Johnson and Sons for years to come.