The organisers of Manston market have announced it is to shut with immediate effect.
The Saturday market at the airport was previously run by Bray Markets, which also is in charge of the Friday market at Ramsgate. It was taken over by Les and Michael Stevens, who launched as Stevens Markets, this month.
In an announcement on the Manston market Facebook page it is claimed that Thanet council has denied a licence to allow the event to continue running.
Organisers say: “It comes with great sadness that we have had to stop operating at the Manston airfield market.
“The planning department have declined the application for this and we are to cease trading with immediate effect.
“I just want to say a huge thank you to all the supporters out there. That stuck with us when everyone else was going against us. It means a lot and you can continue to follow our journey with Bray Markets.
“All traders that paid a two week deposit, we will be refunding this to you and we will give you more information on how to get this back in due course.”
Stevens Markets have since updated their notice to say: “The planning application was due and there were authorities pushing from day one to get us out, this pushed the airfield owners to cease the market.
(UPDATE) However, Thanet council says it has not received an application. A spokesperson said: “The market needs planning permission to continue to operate on the Manston Airport site. Council officers contacted the operator and requested a planning application, to change the use of the land.
Organisers say they “are gutted” to have to close the market for good.
On a petition that was launched to try and save the market, it says: “Nine months ago, we embarked on a journey to create a vibrant and inclusive space for local traders and entrepreneurs. The Manston Saturday Market grew from a small idea into a bustling hub for the community, supporting local start-ups and providing an essential platform for traders to earn a living.
“This market isn’t just a collection of stalls; it’s become the heart and soul of our town’s local economy.
“It has revitalized our community, promoting local produce, handmade crafts, and unique goods that reflect the talents and entrepreneurial spirit of our people. Our humble beginnings have flourished into a vibrant marketplace where dreams start small but grow large.”
The licence application was for the car park to be used for the Saturday market.
Thanet council has been asked for comment.
They didn’t apply for planning permission
Yay Thanet council you idiots .
Anything else in Thanet u want to ruin ?
Think u lot need to take a long hard look at what you’re doing to Thanet as all u want to do is build houses .
Think it’s time Thanet council was abolished .
They didn’t get planning permission and TDC quite rightly enforced planning regulations
they didn’t apply for planning
do grow up
Thanet Council will be abolished in a couple of years. KCC will be abolished in a couple of years. They will be united to create Unitary Authorities. Bigger. More impersonal. Less local input. But your wish is being granted “D”.
So where the market gonna go now and that lovely meat wagon xx
Good. Markets with no public transport links to most of its potential customers should not be discouraged. Put one near one of Thanet’s 8 railway stations, and you’ll get my full support.
I meant “Not be ENCOURAGED”!
Is there anything u don’t moan about .
I’m sure they can do without your custom .
The market had its regular people turn up and support it .
And as for public transport the 48 went right outside it and driver would drop u off .
The 48 bus doesn’t run from everywhere, and when it does, there ar a total of just 4 buses on a Saturday, with a 90 minute wait between them. That’s really not good enough.
How about relocating to the Thanet Parkway almost empty car park?
I think you mean markets with no public transport nearby should be discouraged.
Indeed. I’ve corrected myself.
shame, big loss for the local area
They didn’t have planning permission
hey had 9 months to apply go figure
“local” to who? Very few could walk to it.
Well we are hearing from one side,which states that TDC refused to grant permission and that the Stevens brothers were “gutted”.We don’t know the truth of the situation. It may have been a successful market which makes TDC’s position odd.We may find out the truth in the fullness of time.
RSP themselves argued for aviation use only at Manston. Perhaps if the market organisers had done the right thing and applied for planning permission instead of just going ahead it might have been a different matter. The truth is RSP are allowing all sorts to go on without planning permission after making a big issue that Manston should be reserved for aviation only when SHP own it so a bit hypocritical?
Perhaps it’s TDC finally enforcing the local plan which strictly stipulates aviation only up there. Mixed use was in the old local plan but that was then fudged on favour of aviation. All TDC is doing is enforcing the Tory UKIP TIC driven local plan. Perhaps Tony would like to apply for mixed use?
Quite rightly so, too.
It seems odd that so many stalls were at Manston yet very few at Ramsgate, why can’t the stalls go to Ramsgate to help enhance that market,both markets were run by the same people so therefor merging with the Ramsgate market, problem solved.
How fortunate Ramsgate market can continue somewhere for all those disappointed sellers to use
because Ramsgate Market had all permissions
A lot of the claims by the market creators are clearly not factual. “Local this that and the other”
The road to access the market is a fatal accident waiting to happen with the speed of the cars hammering past and cars leaving jotting out as quickly as they can in the rare break in traffic.
Probably one of the reasons TDC turned down planning permission?
“this market isn’t just a collection of stalls; it’s become the heart and soul of our town’s local economy”
I’ve heard some old pony in my time but that takes the biscuit 😂 😂
And Manston isn’t even a town.
Failed airport failed market spooky
Could they try to open the market but just for cargo…?
Well they’d have had to leave soon anyway because of all the planes flying in and out. And there’s sure to be loads of shops in the airport terminal. Can’t wait.
I do love a bit of satire 😊
Love the sarcasm pal
Supposed to be aviation only and we all know that won’t happen for years so in desperation they are allowing anything to get some money
I can remember when buying from a market was cheap and that was the point of a market, you took abit of a cheap gamble. No way am I spending £30, £40 plus on a single item at a market.
The market these days are more expensive than other sources. I don’t see the point of pay more when you have so little comeback.
If I’m buying from vinted, Ebay, amazon or a local or national retailer I have a comeback. Buying from a market I might not see the stall again !
I’m not sure what this market brought to the local economy. We visited the market once, several stalls selling knock off trainers, numerous complaints, overpriced merchandise. I do know for those (including myself) living in manston, it caused traffic chaos! An absolute nightmare getting out of the village toward birchington. The 48 bus may show on the timetable that it has regular service, but in reality sometimes it never shows up!
Not surprised. Drove passed every Saturday and it was deader than dodos!
Traders who paid a deposit…….