New Manager aims to put ‘heart’ back into Victorian Market.

Jo Murray has been appointed by The Highland Council as Victorian Market Manager and was warmly welcomed to her new post by Members of the Council’s City of Inverness Area Committee today (Thursday 30 November).

Welcoming Jo to her new role, Provost and Leader of Inverness and Area Cllr Helen Carmichael said: “We are very pleased to have attracted someone of Jo’s retail experience and calibre to this exciting new post that Inverness Members endorsed earlier in June this year. We wish her all the best in her new job and look forward to seeing a renewed vigour and vitality to the Victorian Market which is an important core of the Inverness shopping experience.”

The Market Manager’s post will be focused on marketing, events and transformational projects for the Victorian Market with the aim of increasing footfall (initially) and then economic spend (over time). 

Part of Jo’s role will also be to act as Group Secretary to the Victorian Market Stakeholder Management Group which is also supported by the Inverness City Area Manager.

Jo Murray said: "I am honoured to have been given the opportunity to be part of a unique, historic, iconic retail and social hub such as the Victorian Market. As many have voiced, it has been the unloved heart of the city for too long. The traders, the city of Inverness, our community and visitors deserve to have a thriving place to work, shop and visit.

“My 35 years of experience in retail has been extensive and I have the skills to make retail and circulation spaces inviting with theatrical flair and taste. I see the value of being inclusive of the community and surprising potential customers with visually stimulating and customer friendly environments to shop and socialise in.

“This is the start of an exciting journey. My appointment has been in the planning for some time and I am sure that what everyone wants is for me to get on with the Action Plan. I am very much looking forward to working with the traders so that, with their support, we can bring the heartbeat back in to the origins of retail in this great city."