Prague will soon have a new conceptual plan for its markets, currently under development by the municipal company Prague City Tourism. The plan will bring a systemic strategy to meet the city’s needs in this area, with the first phase focusing on locations in the historical centre.
The document aims to comprehensively cover the issues related to Prague markets, defining suitable locations according to the principles of urban planning, and focusing on design and visual style as well as the range of markets available. It will be based on a detailed description of the current situation, and research into market concepts abroad, such as in Vienna, Dresden, Krakow and Bratislava.
“The city has been missing a concept for Prague markets for a long time,” said Prague councillor for property, legislation and transparency Adam Zábranský. “In the first phase, we want to focus on the markets on Old Town Square, Wenceslas Square, Republic Square, and the Fruit Market, and we will propose specific solutions for them, based on the developed principles and taking into account the specifics. But there will also be a general manual that will be used for other localities.”
The concept will also focus on the possibilities of a cultural and accompanying program and on the various possible business relationships with operators and their selection process.
The material will be developed following Prague’s Concept of Inbound Tourism and the Strategic Plan. “We want to solve the issue of markets systematically,” said Zábranský. “The city’s current approach to organising markets has several weaknesses. Where markets can be held is set out in the market regulations. In some places, the city has put the operator out of competition, in other places it concludes ad hoc rental contracts with applicants who apply for them every year, but do not pay attention to quality. In some places, markets are held even without support in the market order, because the operators pretend that it is a cultural event. Our goal is to set transparent rules for organising markets and cultivate them so that they do not reduce the quality of public space in the centre of Prague.”
