FAQ's

Where is the English Market located?

The English Market is located in Cork city centre with its main entrances on Grand Parade, and on Princes Street, with further smaller entrances off Oliver Plunkett Street and Patrick Street.

When is the market open?

The English Market is open to the public from 8.00 am to 6.00 pm, Monday to Saturday. It is closed on Sundays and Bank Holidays. Some traders may operate different trading hours within those hours.

Why is it called The English Market?

The Market was created in 1788 by the Protestant or “English” corporation that controlled the city until 1841. This was a new flagship municipal market located at the heart of the new commercial city centre. When local government was reformed in 1840, and the representatives of the city’s Catholic, “Irish” majority took over, they established another covered food market, St. Peter’s (now the Bodega@St Peter’s Market) which became known as the “Irish Market” to distinguish it from its older counterpart, which remained associated with its English creators. The name “English Market”, then, dates from this era of transition.

Where can I park?

A total of 2,250 car parking spaces are available in the City centre, both on-street and in multi-storey parks. The nearest public multi-storey car-parks to the English Market are at Grand Parade and Paul Street. For locations and information on these and other convenient city-centre public car-parks, refer to the following link: parking.corkcity.ie.

Cork City Council also operates a Park & Ride service at the Black Ash, Kinsale Road, on the south side of the City. It allows visitors and shoppers to travel straight into the retail heart of the city, without the hassle of searching for parking spaces, with a good-value, high quality bus service to the city centre. For further details see the following link: http://www.corkcity.ie/services/roadstransportation/trafficdivision/blackashparkandride/

Are Credit Cards / Laser cards accepted?

Some traders accept credit cards and laser cards, however many traders deal on a cash-only basis.

There are ATM’s located on Patrick Street, and South Mall.

Are there public toilets in the Market?

The public toilet facility is located near the Market Alley entrance, at the top corner of the fish aisle in the Grand Parade Market. Please note that there is just one public toilet, access to which is coin-operated.

Where is the nearest Tourist Information centre?

The Tourist Information Office is located on Patrick Street.

Who owns the Market?

Cork City Council owns the English Market and leases the stalls to traders. Cork City Council contracts with Lisney who look after the day-to-day running of the market.

How do I lease a unit in the Market?

As units are leased by Cork City Council to traders, vacancies will only arise in the event that a trader wishes to vacate their unit, or if Cork City Council acquires back a unit from a trader. Where a present trader proposes to assign their unit to a new trader, the consent of Cork City Council is required both for the assignment, and for the proposed new trade. Cork City Council will seek to ensure insofar as is practicable that the form of retailing continues to support the Market’s core principles of traditional open-stall trading of natural, high quality food products. Accordingly, in applying these principles there will be a bias against high street or supermarket-type retailing, and a bias against the sale of pre-packaged foods or foods that have been significantly processed.