Change has been a constant for Paddy’s Markets since the first traders set up there in the 1830s. Haymarket got its name from the hay and grain sale yards built there but soon traders of all types set up shop in the vicinity.
Historical accounts describe a fairground atmosphere in the mostly open-air market complex that hosted a circus and sideshows as well as the ubiquitous fruit and vegetable stalls. It stayed open until 10pm on Saturdays in an era when most Sydney establishments closed with the setting of the sun.
One of the Hay Street entrances to the markets.Credit: Kate Geraghty
The markets moved between buildings in the same district several times, before the biggest shift took place in 1975 when most of the fruit and vegetable sellers went west to the new markets at Flemington.
As the Herald has previously reported, the market in its current form has simply been left behind by changing consumer preferences, online shopping and the pandemic. Most of the floor space is taken up by stalls selling cheap souvenirs, toys, jewellery and clothes. It is not the best use of a very large block on the edge of the CBD.
Overseas city markets such as London’s Covent Garden and Grand Central Markets in Los Angeles have shown that traditional markets can be turned into stylish dining destinations without losing their roots. Closer to home, Adelaide Central Market and Melbourne’s Queen Victoria Market are rightly regarded as important local icons by the citizens of those cities. Both are destinations that serve residents and tourists alike.
Sydney, with the Harbour, the Bridge, Opera House and much else besides, is perhaps a tougher market when it comes to icons. But the fact remains that Paddy’s Market should be a much more enticing attraction than it is now, and other city markets are models that show how this can happen.
Change is already coming to the south-western approaches of the CBD, with Ultimo, Pyrmont and the Railway Square precinct slated for much more high-density development. Major attractions, such as the redesigned Powerhouse Museum, Darling Harbour’s Harbourside complex and the Fish Market at Blackwattle Bay, are being rebuilt nearby.
The time is ripe for a rejuvenated market to bring nightlife to this neglected corner of the CBD.
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