Plans for new food court in Retford’s Buttermarket one step closer
Retford Town Hall. Image credit: AnotherKind Architects
By Lauren Monaghan, Junior Local Democracy Reporter
Plans to update Retford’s Town Hall to create a £1.2 million food hall are one step closer after plans were submitted to the district council.
In February 2025, Bassetlaw District Council announced its plans to create an “exciting new culinary experience” at Retford’s Buttermarket.
The Buttermarket refers to a ground floor area of the Grade II-listed Retford Town Hall in which the new food court is proposed to be in.
While the council submitted its plans – to update the town hall to make way for the project – to its planning portal in April 2025, plans were formally validated today (May 12).
Planning documents say “minor alterations” will take place to the internal space, replacing toilet fixtures and the kitchen as well as creating new partitions for the separate food vendors.
An accessible toilet will be added to ensure the food court can be used by all.
The project will cost £1.2 million, host six street food outlets and seat up to 60 diners.
Cllr Steve Scotthorne, Cabinet Member for Identity and Place said: “These are exciting proposals, which if given the go ahead, could attract more people into the Buttermarket and the wider town.
“As well as giving the much-loved historic building a new lease of life it’ll also create exciting opportunities for several food retailers in Retford.”
The Buttermarket is currently used as a space for traders to sell craft items.
A petition, called ‘Save Our Buttermarket’ was created in March on Change.org, asking the council to reconsider its plans to change the use of the space.
If given the go-ahead, the scheme will be paid for through government funding, including from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
The plans will be decided by the council at a later stage, after which the authority says the search for an operator to manage the food outlets will start.
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