Since the last update in Retford Life regarding Bassetlaw District Council’s decision to proceed with changing the use of the Buttermarket to a food hall, there have been several developments – not all of them positive. On 9th September, the Save Our Buttermarket Campaign resubmitted all votes from both the online petition and local paper campaigns, giving a combined total of 2,797 signatures opposing the proposed change of use. By comparison, the council’s consultation gathered just 366 responses in favour of the scheme – and even those who took part were never directly asked whether they supported turning the Buttermarket into a food hall. The question was heavily weighted towards the council’s preferred outcome.
Following submission, the council carried out what it described as a verification process to check for duplicate signatures. While this was understandable in principle, within just two days 1,173 signatures were discounted. This left only 1,624 validated signatures, a figure that the campaign believes should outweigh the original 366 responses supporting the council’s proposal. The council’s justification for excluding 978 ‘not in area’ signatures was that those signatories did not live, work, or study within Bassetlaw. However, it remains unclear how this was determined, particularly since many verified signatories from Retford were incorrectly recorded by Change.org as living in unrelated areas. The campaign team is working with Change.org to resolve these errors.
Supporters who signed the petition online are encouraged to double-check their details on Change.org to ensure that postcodes are entered correctly. Every signature counts in demonstrating the strength of community opposition to this decision. Although the reduction in numbers means the campaign fell short of the 2,500-signature threshold required to trigger a public speaking right at planning meetings, the issue has been referred to the Council’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee and included as an agenda item for discussion at its October meeting.
Nevertheless, the scale and speed of the disqualifications have raised serious concerns about transparency. The Save Our Buttermarket Campaign continues to gather votes through both the online petition and local signature drives, with the ongoing support of traders who depend on the Buttermarket for their livelihoods. Residents who have not yet voted are urged to visit the online campaign and make their voices heard, ensuring that details are entered correctly.
The campaign emphasises that its members are not opposed to investment in Retford, nor do they wish to see the £1.2million of funding secured by Bassetlaw District Council go to waste. However, they believe that meaningful consultation with the community from the outset would have ensured that the funding was spent more wisely and with the full support of local residents. The campaign extends thanks to everyone who has supported it so far. The effort to preserve the Buttermarket’s historic and cultural role in Retford is ongoing, with the shared goal of ensuring that this important landmark remains a place for the whole community.