Brighouse Market

Brighouse Market sits within the town’s historic commercial streets, close to the Calder and Hebble Navigation canal towpath. Despite its central location, the previous market facility was no longer working for traders or shoppers.

Ongoing issues around antisocial behaviour, flood risk, security and inflexible layouts had reduced confidence and limited the market’s role in the town centre.

Calderdale Council’s brief was clear: to create a contemporary but contextual part-covered, part-open-air market facility that would provide a secure and efficient environment for Brighouse.

The ambition being, to increase footfall, attract shoppers back into the town centre and support businesses of different sizes and stages.

Our response focused on a clear structure, robust materials and flexibility.
The result is a practical civic space that works hard every day and can adapt over time, supporting a long-term positive legacy and renewed civic pride for the residents of Brighouse and Calderdale.

Security was a key driver following continued antisocial behaviour. Rather than treating this as a management issue alone, we used the building form itself to create a secure boundary.

Permanent market stalls line the outer edge of the site, strengthening the market’s presence along surrounding streets while enclosing a flexible central space.

This approach increases activity and visibility around the perimeter and allows the heart of the market to operate as a protected courtyard for trading, temporary stalls or events.

The design strategy reinterprets the site’s historic urban block, giving the market a clearer identity and stronger relationship with its surroundings.

A simple grid layout supports ease of use and flexibility. Covered units are modular and designed at a variety of scales, with detachable partitions allowing stall sizes to change to suit the needs and preferences of different tenants.

All units are set up with power, hot and cold water and drainage, creating a simple but efficient template capable of supporting a broad range of traders.

The market was shaped through close collaboration with local communities; stall holders, market manager, local shoppers. A series of creative workshops were held on site, delivered in partnership with 509 Arts supported meaningful engagement and helped ensure the design responds to how the market is actually used.

Calderdale Council and the market managers were keen to emphasize the market’s role as a business incubator, allowing new businesses to eventually scale up to permanent local shops.

The market now offers a more settled and dependable environment for traders and shoppers.

Clear definition, improved visibility and stronger boundaries have helped address long-standing concerns around safety, supporting more consistent day-to-day use.

Since reopening, the market has quickly re-established itself as a lively and inclusive destination. The new layout has supported a dramatic intake in take-up, growing from a handful of occupied units to a fully let market of around 40 traders.

Long-standing businesses such as the fishmonger, butcher and café have returned, joined by new independent traders including a cheese-monger and delicatessen, greengrocer, food stalls, a small bar, sweet shop and a local charity. This mix reflects the market’s renewed role as a low-barrier entry point for independent enterprise.

For many traders, the market provides a viable alternative to high-street overheads. Fixed stalls offer affordability and security, enabling local businesses to trade sustainably, invest in their offer and reconnect with their customer base. Several traders have already expanded into larger units, investing in new equipment and staff, demonstrating confidence in the market’s long-term future.

Beyond its economic role, the market has become a genuine social hub. Canal-side seating and sheltered courtyard spaces encourage people to stay, meet and spend time together. Shoppers can be seen browsing, eating, chatting and enjoying the space throughout the day, with people of all ages using the market as part of everyday life.

The ability to host community and private events brings additional activity into the town centre at different times of day and year, supporting surrounding businesses and reinforcing Brighouse Market’s role within the wider local economy.

The renewed sense of activity and pride is tangible. The market is no longer simply a place to pass through, but a destination that contributes to wellbeing, social connection and civic identity, giving Brighouse another reason to be proud of its town centre.

Sustainability was embedded from the outset, guided by the Bond Bryan Sustainable Design Guide and a focus on longevity, adaptability, and low embodied carbon.

Our first instinct was to retain as much of the existing structure as possible. However, the structure was found to not be resilient to flood events. As a result, we salvaged as much of the existing stone as possible to be reused within the new market. This choice helped to maintain continuinty with the original facility while minimising waste and ensuring longevity of the building.

The outdoor nature of the market and the robustness required of the facility required a simple, durable material palette, while ensuring a timeless aesthetic that ages well within its context.

Locally sourced natural stone, lime mortar, bio-based timber, and exposed galvanised metal fixings were specified for resilience, low embodied carbon and ease of maintenance. Limited applied coatings and adhesives support future reuse or recycling.

The building is designed for disassembly, with exposed or reversible fixings throughout, from bolted timber connections to lime mortar construction, allowing the market to be repaired, reconfigured or adapted rather than demolished in future.

The market is unheated and un-insulated by design, however the courtyard form creates a sheltered pedestrian square, improving comfort levels, while generous overhanging canopies protect produce from direct sun and offer shelter to shoppers. This low-tech, low-maintenance approach supports a lasting, future-ready civic asset.

Brighouse Market demonstrates how careful structure, clear boundaries and simple natural materials can create a space that feels both settled and alive. The project prioritises use over spectacle, longevity over luxury and in doing so offers Brighouse a working civic space for local enterprise and community life, a space that can evolve as the town continues to change and evolve.