Ayios Antonios market to get €1.8m facelift

NICOSIA’S Ayios Antonios market is set for a full make-over beginning on February 24, after the signing yesterday of the project contracts by Mayor Eleni Mavrou and Sotos Lois of Lois Builders Ltd.

The project, which will take 20 months at a cost of €1.8m plus VAT, will be completed in three separate phases, in order to allow the market to continue to operate normally.

Mavrou said that signing of the contracts was “a significant step, because Ayios Antonios market is a building that is closely associated with the city. It is part of the memories of the oldest among us, and is part of the lives of the youngest among us.”

She said that “the municipality has for many years envisaged carrying out this project”, and she was happy that the municipality and the contractor would finally “be working closely together on this beautiful and symbolic building”.

The mayor emphasised that “the renovation and expansion of the market, bringing it up to date so that it meets current standards – especially in terms of hygiene – was urgently needed from our point of view.”

She added that although funding is available from the government and the European Union for certain projects, the full cost of upgrading Ayios Antonios market will be covered by the municipality’s own funds.

Phase one of the work, scheduled to last eight months, will involve the building of a new modern glass-and-steel structure as an annex to the original sandstone building. The new wing will house stalls for the sale of fruit and vegetables and other perishables.

The second phase, taking five months, will upgrade the north wing, which will be given over to the sale of meat and fish.

The third and final phase, lasting seven months, will renovate and upgrade the south wing, which will house various food stalls.

As well as meeting hygiene standards by separating different food groups, the work will also include the creation of parking-spaces for customers, new areas for storage and refuse, as well as loading bays.

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