Reigniting the Heartbeat of a Proud Market Town
For Wigan, being a market town has always been stitched into the town’s soul, not just economically, but emotionally. Since 1246, when Wigan was granted one of the country’s earliest market charters, trade has been the beating heart of the place: people meeting, exchanging, connecting.
It’s helped define the town’s identity. And it’s part of an exciting plan to shape its future.
Welcome to Fettlers
Fast forward to today, and that centuries-old tradition is being boldly reimagined in the form of Fettlers, one of Greater Manchester’s most ambitious regeneration projects.
This brand-new neighbourhood in the heart of Wigan town centre is set to transform the area, with more than 400 new homes, a cinema, bowling alley, bars, restaurants, a hotel and crucially, a new market hall designed to breathe life into the town’s high street and reinstate Wigan as a destination market town for a new generation.
The name itself is drawn from the town’s roots. 'Fettling' means fixing, mending, making better. That’s exactly what this project is doing for the heart of Wigan. And it’s exactly where we come in.
Designing a New Beating Heart
We were invited to lead the design of this vibrant new marketplace: a 75,000 sq ft social hub rooted in tradition but fuelled by innovation, joy and purpose. Our task? To create more than just a market. To build a place with energy and soul, where heritage meets modernity, and where locals and visitors alike can eat, trade, work, explore, and belong.
Working in partnership with Wigan Council, their development partners, Cityheart, operators Northern Lights Group/PlaceCo and JM Architects, we’ve designed a space that rethinks what a market can be. Inside, you’ll find a fresh, modern blend of traditional stalls and exciting new retail, contemporary bars, workshop areas, winter gardens, and a bustling food hall. Outside, the newly created Woodcock Square offers outdoor trading space, events, and all the good stuff that makes a town centre feel alive.
More than just a place to shop, this is a place to be, where neighbours meet, families visit, makers make and independent traders thrive.
“The market hall at Fettlers will be first-class, anchoring the wider scheme and, as markets have done for centuries, acting as a place for people to meet, eat, greet and trade.
Sheila Bird Studio have helped set the creative tone for this ambitious scheme with their trademark design flair, energy and passion for community placemaking.”
Darren Jones
Development Director, Cityheart
A Catalyst for Change
From our early consultation sessions through to developing a bold interior identity and intuitive layouts that make movement natural and discovery exciting, this is public placemaking with personality. A space that honours Wigan’s past while celebrating its future. Every detail is designed to drive footfall, foster community and put Wigan back on the map as a place where people want to spend time.
For us, the Wigan market project is a perfect example of what happens when creativity, collaboration and community collide. It’s more that just delivering interiors, we’re designing a catalyst for change that will bring people together, lift the neighbourhood and leave a legacy.
In a world where streaming and scrolling have become the norm, Wigan’s new Market will be a vital counterbalance - a living, breathing space full of creativity, connection, and constant evolution.
Working alongside the creative team at Sheila Bird Studio has been integral in making that a reality.
Shaun Freeman-Jones
PlaceCo/Northern Lights Group
