THE
MARKET
HISTORY _ 

A market has stood on the site of the present Market since 1805

The origins of the indoor market were as a cattle market. The Market Hall, now known as the Food Hall, was a basic Victorian covered space where livestock was traded twice weekly on market days, in concurrence with the street market outside where more general fare was offered.

After the First World War the Market Hall was modified to incorporate fixed units where butchers, grocers and other food suppliers set up businesses. The success of the newly developed Market Hall led to three periods of expansion set over seventy years.

20th Century Developments

The first saw the market extend into the ground floor of the adjacent Town Hall, now known as the Central Hall. This initially operated as a pannier market on market days and general assembly room on other days.

The second expansion occurred after the Second World War where Penuel Lane, at the side of the two market halls, was covered to house further traders in two further halls. These sections ran from Church St at the south end through to Penuel Square in the north and were given the eponymous names of the Fruit and Fish Markets.

The third and final extension came in 1987 when the Lesser Town Hall, adjacent to the Food Hall, was transformed from a salesroom into a beautifully decorated fashion wear market. 
After this third expansion, Pontypridd Indoor Market covered the largest area of any market in Wales. Over time more and more fixed units were constructed throughout the whole of the market area, created by traders literally looking to build on their success. Indeed at its height Pontypridd Market, inside and outside, was regarded as the most profitable market in the UK in which to trade. However, even though business flourished inward investment into the market by management and trader alike was unrealistically low. 

The Market Quarter

The vision for the future of the indoor market is already taking shape. We are creating bespoke environments, each tailored for the nature of sector or product lines contained within. The five distinctive areas will be known as The Food Hall, The Street Food Market, The Central Hall, The Farmers Market and The Penuel Arcade.
VIEW RECENT DEVELOPMENTS
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