Cork City Council is welcoming applications from traders to join the famous Coal Quay Market on Cornmarket St and Kyle St. It dates back to the 1840s.

However, proposed byelaws have met with opposition from the Bantry Market Traders’ Association, which has set up a campaign called ‘Save Our Street Markets’. Existing byelaws will remain in force and proposed new byelaws cannot come into effect until a legal action is resolved in April.

Cork City Council started a statutory consultation on new casual trading byelaws for the city in March 2022.

“The intention of the new bye-laws is to update and strengthen the rules for trading and the criteria for allocating pitches, in order to promote the highest-quality trading and ensure the vibrancy and viability of our markets and public spaces, and to protect and enhance the historic Coal Quay Market area as a trading market,” said a spokesperson.

The new byelaws also seek to create more opportunities for trading in the city, by designating new casual trading areas, for example at Harley St, and at some local parks.

“The current casual-trading byelaws for Cork City were adopted in 1996, and a review is timely, as the demand for, and nature of, casual trading in the city has changed considerably over the years. The review of the byelaws was commenced in recognition of the fact that casual trading can play a vital role in the city: Animating the streets, increasing footfall, and offering an opportunity for residents and visitors to enjoy everything from a cup of coffee to a gourmet street feast in an outdoor setting.

“A legal challenge has issued in relation to the byelaws and it is not appropriate to comment on the detail of the submission at this point in time. However, Cork City Council will defend the need for the bye-laws to be updated and our record of supporting the city’s markets and casual trading areas,” added the spokesperson.

Designated trading-area application forms are available online at www.corkcity.ie, by emailing property@corkcity.ie, or by contacting the council’s property section on 021 492 4258. Acceptance of any application does not guarantee the granting of a licence.

Martin Hobbes, of the Bantry Market Traders’ Association, said the proposed new byelaws “aim to diminish, undermine, and ultimately destroy this much-loved and cultural institution”.

“We are taking a case against the council’s new restrictive byelaws, to save the Coal Quay St Market and all street markets in Cork City. If the city council wins this case, Cork County Council will be able to apply the same restrictions to markets in West Cork and throughout the county,” he said.

The group has set up an online campaign at gofundme.com, outlining 10 major concerns. The Bantry traders maintain that the new regime will almost halve the number of trading spaces on the Coal Quay, from 53 to 36, and they also have concerns about pitch sizes.

“For many traders, a pitch size of 3m is not economically viable. The council should provide several pitch sizes that would accommodate the variety of goods sold in a market,” according to the campaign.

Mr Hobbes said he was “alarmed” by the new proposals and the restrictions on trading, which “would bring about the end of trading in Cork City as I see it”.

The traders’ association case is expected to take three days in April.

“We just want the council to implement the 2005 Cornmarket Street Area Action Plan,” said Mr Hobbes. “Markets increase footfall for local shops and businesses.”