The return of Bahrain’s famous Friday Flea Market is finally becoming a reality, with construction of 90 stalls now underway at its new permanent home in Howrat A’ali and the project expected to be completed by the end of the year.
Six years after the bustling marketplace was forced to close during the Covid-19 pandemic, the long-awaited revival is moving from planning tables to the construction site, bringing renewed hope to dozens of small traders who have spent years without a permanent base.
The new market is being built in Block 714, next to the permanent Farmers Market, and is designed to provide an organised, shaded venue for temporary commercial activities. It will feature a pre-engineered steel structure together with complete electrical, structural and external works, creating a safer and more comfortable environment for vendors and visitors alike.
The project follows months of planning and debate, with 10 contractors previously competing for the contract through the Tender Board. Bids ranged from BD93,000 to BD278,000 before construction work was launched.
Northern Municipal Council financial, administrative and legislative committee chairman and area councillor Dr Mohsin Abdulla said seeing the market rise from the ground marked an important milestone after years of delays.
“Watching the construction of the 90 stalls begin is a proud moment for everyone who fought to bring this project back to life,” he told the GDN.
“This market represents much more than rows of shops. It represents livelihoods, dignity and opportunity for families who have patiently waited for six years to return to doing business in an organised and secure environment.”
Dr Abdulla said the project would restore one of Bahrain’s best-known community markets while ending years of uncertainty for vendors.
“For many pensioners, small traders and families, the Friday Market has always been a source of additional income,” he said.
“We wanted to give them a permanent home with proper facilities instead of leaving them scattered in unsuitable locations. The new site provides better planning, parking, accessibility and regulation while protecting both sellers and shoppers from the weather.”
He praised Municipalities Affairs and Agriculture Minister Wael Al Mubarak for moving the project forward.
“I took the initiative to keep this issue alive and I am grateful that the minister responded quickly and decisively to transform the idea into a reality,” he said.
“The focus now is on completing the work as scheduled so vendors can finally return before the end of the year.”
The project was not without controversy. The Northern Municipal Council spent months debating potential locations after objections were raised to a proposed site in western Hamad Town because of drainage concerns, its surrounding residential areas and access difficulties.
Dr Abdulla said selecting the Howrat A’ali site had finally allowed the project to move beyond political discussion.
“For too long this file remained trapped between differing opinions and administrative procedures,” he said.
“Today we have construction instead of controversy, and that is exactly what the vendors have been waiting for.”
Once completed, the new Flea Market is expected to consolidate informal street vendors into a regulated marketplace with electricity, safety measures and dedicated facilities, while reducing complaints linked to unlicensed trading across the Northern Governorate.
For Bahrain’s bargain hunters and generations of loyal Friday Market visitors, the return of one of the kingdom’s most cherished shopping traditions is now firmly in sight.
mohammed@gdnmedia.bh
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