Skipton Auction Mart builds for the future ...
A major new development at Skipton Auction Mart not only heralds a vast improvement in facilities, but also enhances customer health, safety and comfort.
The forward-looking project has transformed the former Exhibition Hall into a central hub allowing direct access to the main sales ring, which has been redesigned and upgraded, along with a stairway and purpose-built overhead walkway currently being constructed to convey people from the front ring area of the mart all the way to the bottom docks, with drop down points to sale rings and the store cattle race.
It will enable customers to move around the mart without necessarily using the livestock penning areas, while in the main ring the move to a side located rostrum gives the vendor direct access to the auctioneer when representing stock.
Craven Cattle Marts’ general manager and auctioneer Jeremy Eaton explained: “The overall aim has been to upgrade facilities, with the added incentive of improving safety where we could. We have retained the option of reverting to a central location for the rostrum in the main sale ring if required, as well as the possibility of changing ring size or even stripping the entire ring back to a meeting auditorium.
“Customer comfort has also been enhanced, allowing people – for example, vendors awaiting their stock to be sold - to sit more comfortably in the central hub, while providing the opportunity for pop-up type trade stands on busy days. There is also a refreshment point in the hall.
“These building improvements equip us a market fit for the next century, a commitment that will see us remain one of the leading livestock marts in the entire country.”