The market has lost 33 permanent traders since the bus stops were moved

THE Miracle Town Centre

Dear readers and members of the public I would like to inform you all about the miracles that are happening right now in Loughborough town centre,

One of your readers wrote to ask what has happened to our beloved town market, then goes on to tell the truth and ask questions that most other people are asking and they are all saying the same!

But Charnwood Borough Council and the Leicestershire County Council see it very different. They have moved bus stops too far away from the market for most people to walk and carry shopping, that is for normal shoppers

Here’s miracle No.1, not for the council, the market has lost 33, yes 33, permanent traders from the market since bus stops were moved and only five replacements that’s miracle No.2, because stall occupancy is the same according to Coun J Bokor and Leicestershire County Council say traders leaving has nothing to do with the bus stops being moved,

At a recent council meeting attend- ed by Mrs Bokor, a few market traders, your local MP and some senior members of the town centre management team and one representative from the county council footfall was discussed but the council said at that meeting they have no means to count or check footfall.

Miracle No.3 Mrs Bokor has managed a 20 per cent increase. At the same meeting Coun Bokor was asked how many empty stalls did she see when walking through the market some two hours earlier her reply was none. Only two traders stood in a sec- tion of the market taking up five stalls that she said that she walked through, that’s Miracle No.4.

I could go on and on about things that do not add up, my sympathy goes out to Coun Bokor as a new member to the council market team I feel she has been misled with facts and figures handed out by the respective councils.

But lets hope the next miracle is the one that counts, could you all imagine this county council and borough council admit that they have made a mistake by putting the bus stops so far away. Bring them back closer to High Street and Baxter Gate and bring our customers back and we will forgive you all if you do,

Miracle No.6 we now need the people in charge to put people before profit. It does appear that only the poor and hard working are experiencing austerity by these two councils and not the rich and well paid senior council employees

I do believe in miracles (Errol Brown, Hot Chocolate).

Barry Leader