BUILDING THE CASTRIES MARKET
In 1891 the Castries Town
Board took immediate steps to obtain from Europe or America plans and
specifications of a covered Market.
From an ornamental point of
view the market would improve the appearance of the town, and be a welcome
relief to the eye after meeting with the unsightly coal-heaps which the
Government had allowed to be placed on the Northern Wharf.
The building design and
construction were contracted to the well-known firm of engineers, Bruce &
Still Ltd., of Liverpool.
It was three years later that the market was formally opened
by His Excellency Sir Charles Bruce on Monday, 2nd July, 1894.
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Admission to the market for the occasion was by ticket only. Members of
Council, the heads of the respective clergy, the members of representative
bodies in Castries and the heads of Departments of the Public Service, were
invited to luncheon at the Town Hall after the opening ceremony. |
Craft and Souvenirs on sale at the Vendor's Arcade |
The market is home to over 300
full time vendors and another possible hundred or so on market days, which
have traditionally been Saturdays. In early times,
the market was primarily a place for selling produce along with meat and
fish. There was limited selling of craft and dry goods. Today however, the
market has evolved into a place where you can buy almost anything. A number
of small restaurants serving local food has been added along with cold
storage facilities for frozen meats, crafts are being produced on site, and
tourists now form the major source of customers for its products.
No longer is fish being sold or animals being slaughtered
on the premises.
The Vendors Arcade was opened by the CCC in
1996 in an effort to relieve the congestion on the city sidewalks.
Since then the arcade has proven very
popular among visitors who say that the deals are better than at the
traditional stores.
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