We are the Fitzwilliam (Malton) Estate. You may know of us as the ultimate owners of much of the town centre. We share with you a real interest in seeing the right balance between preserving Malton’s unique and timeless character, and fitting the town for today – and tomorrow. The crucial points are how easy it is to reach by car and on foot, how handy all the shops and services are, how attractive the town centre is, and how much of a buzz there is about the place. 

Town centres up and down the country are in decline – a direct result of out-of-town shopping centres. Malton has seen the same effect, but so far less severely than many market towns. The variety and viability of locally-owned retailers and food outlets could be irreversibly affected even more by the arrival of a big supermarket if it is not well linked to the existing town centre. It is a mistake for council planners to see the short-term financial benefits of attracting a large-scale superstore separated from the town centre, if established businesses are priced out and have to shut up shop.             

We, the Estate, have a long-term interest in Malton. We have been here for 300 years. We consider ourselves benevolent landlords and have been able to benefit our tenants and their customers, and Malton’s residents and visitors alike, in all kinds of ways – from free parking in the town centre to allowing local clubs and societies to use premises for their activities, from free food festivals to contributing to local good causes. Most of our properties are listed buildings, limiting how they can be modernised, but we maintain them well and
charge no more than we need to.

The point we are at now is to decide on the future of the Livestock Market. It occupies a key position in the town centre that has historically been vital to its commerce and what happens here has an important influence on the whole area.