Marts play a vital economic role

9:40am Wednesday 18th July 2012 in Columnists By Anne McIntosh

Anne McIntosh Anne McIntosh

THE north of England has the highest number of operational livestock markets in England, but it has also seen a large number of market closures as the industry has rationalised over the past 15-20 years.

In 2010, there were 21 markets in the north-east, with 10 located in North Yorkshire.

I am a firm believer in the role of livestock marts. They play a unique role in the rural economy.

Marts have a vital economic role as a hub for the rural economy, setting the price of animals and providing the best possible place for buying and selling in an open and transparent way. Auctioneers work hard to drum up interest, allowing producers to realise the best price for their stock.

In a world of gradually decreasing subsidies and quantitive easing, livestock marts are a place that supports farm incomes. It enables the buyer to view the animal in the flesh before purchase. Not only that, but marts provide a social hub and bring the farming community together to discuss current events and open a forum for support, advice and sharing knowledge.

Auction marts are not just for farmers, the whole of market towns can benefit from the services a mart provides, such as a café and meeting and conference rooms.

Therefore I am very keen to see a vibrant future for the livestock mart in Malton .

Its present location is untenable, but time is pressing to find an alternative location within the Malton area.

Thirsk Rural Business Centre could provide the model for an alternative mart with livestock at its heart, but with other interest groups around it.

However, as the current mart is only a tenant, then funding for the new mart has to be found.

There is a great appetite for such a Rural Business Centre in the Malton area.

Malton is a buzzing market town with the livestock mart currently at its centre.

Even at the 11th hour, I urge all the interested parties, including estate agents who service the mart, hauliers, the planning authority, local farmers whose livelihoods depend on a thriving auction mart at a new location and others to come together and reach a timely decision on the new location for all those living in Malton and the surrounding areas.

Comments(1)

Moorsider79 says...
12:14pm Sat 21 Jul 12

Malton has more than enough cafes and meeting rooms for it's populous and the current site is only untenable if the Landlord wants to evict them to put a supermarket on it to try and halt the council's plans to regenerate Wentworth Street and bring vastly more shoppers into the area. OK it may not be your ideal site, but it has worked for decades. If the estate are succesful this would cost the public purse over £5million in the hands of the impartial and democratic council. So you've got to go some with the mart before there is a benefit to the whole community (or even a decent chunk of it). Why don't the Malton shopowners try opening on a Saturday afternoon or Sunday if they want more trade - or more innovative ideas like painting their fronts and having signs (or is the closing on weekends because everybody is at Monks Cross filling up on fuel and groceries?). And I thought according to Lindsay Burr it's the Conservatives that want the Wentworth Supermarket so surprised now if they want this move instead (but I suppose they all rub in different circles). If it's untenable then maybe the rent needs to be lowered, or the commissions need to go up. Farmers can get all the tips they need online in forums these days and if they want to meet up, go to the local pub instead, they all need the trade (or just go to another market and do the same). Farmers who don't move with the times will struggle, like any business, and they do get a lot more help than most in the middle ground between benefits claimants and landowners. When you start talking about greenfield sites like near Eden Camp I don't think anything should be "rushed through". It would be nice to keep a market, but it is nothing like as drastic and urgent as what is being claimed - it all from the outside appears to be political and legal manoeuvre from the plutocrats.

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