FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
5th February, 2026
Community group completes due diligence
After nine months of detailed due diligence, a community-led initiative to secure the future of the Old Packhouse Market has completed a substantial body of preparatory work, laying the groundwork for long-term community ownership.
Project lead Di Maxwell says the past nine months have been focused on ensuring the proposal is robust, realistic, and well-governed.
“This has been a deep discovery process,” Maxwell says. “We’ve undertaken comprehensive due diligence, developed detailed business plans, completed governance structures, and carefully mapped what could be added once a purchase is complete, all before asking the community to step forward.”
An economic impact analysis shows that the Old Packhouse Market in its current form already supports approximately $7.4 million in direct economic activity and up to 155 jobs, prior to any additional initiatives being introduced. A tourism impact report is currently underway to further assess its wider contribution to the Far North economy.
Sub-committee member Mats Wickbom says those figures highlight the importance of protecting what already exists.
“This isn’t about creating something new from scratch,” Wickbom says. “It’s about safeguarding a proven, functioning asset that already delivers real economic value, while giving it a secure future that keeps it rooted in community hands.”
The project is overseen by a dedicated sub-committee comprising Anika Whapshott, Mats Wickbom, and Di Maxwell, operating within established charitable governance frameworks.
Anika Whapshott says respect for the Market’s origins has been central to the work so far.
“The current owners have poured their life and soul into building something special,” Whapshott says. “There is enormous respect for what they’ve created. The intention is to protect that legacy and ensure the Market isn’t lost to future development pressures.”
With governance, planning, and impact analysis now largely complete, the project is moving into its next phase, focused on securing long-term community ownership and ensuring the Old Packhouse Market continues to serve the region for generations to come.
ENDS
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