Rotherham's indoor market has temporarily relocated to a newly built Market Hall in the town centre so that upgrade work can begin on its existing Howard Street site. Traders spent the past week moving their stock to the new building on Drummond Street, which opens to the public on Friday, and the original market is due to reopen in 2027 as a fully refurbished facility. The move matters because it allows traders to keep serving customers locally while long-term improvements are carried out.

The relocation forms part of a development of the area costing more than £46m, funded by the government and Rotherham Council, with additional money from the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority after the council reported a sharp rise in costs. The wider scheme also includes a new central library, a community hub and a revamped outdoor market that could host exhibitions and events. Access to the Market Hall will be via landscaped gardens on the corner of Drummond Street and Eastwood Lane, with a temporary mobility entrance on Henry Street opposite Tesco. Traders have previously raised concerns about low footfall and uncertainty over rent prices and pitch locations, while Councillor John Williams said the priority had been to keep the market accessible and open throughout.