TOWN BANNED FROM STAGING MARKETS ON A SATURDAY – BY 1272 LAW
Shoppers campaign against ancient charter
SHOPPERS are calling for a 749-year-old law to be scrapped – so they can stage a Saturday market in their town.
A charter market status handed to Congleton in 1272 stops any town within a 6.6-mile radius staging a Saturday market. It means neighbouring Biddulph’s market is traditionally held on the first Friday of every month.
But that is now being challenged by Biddulph shoppers.
Kayla Powell, below, has started an online petition calling for a Saturday market in the town – and it has more than 200 supporters.
She said: “Most people work Monday to Friday. I’ve been to the market on a Friday and it’s so quiet, which is a massive shame.
“They’re all local stallholders as well. That’s what’s frustrating. They’re not stallholders who come from miles away.
“They are people from Biddulph who need support from people in Biddulph – but we can’t give that because we’re all at work on a Friday.”
She added: “I used to run a small business in Biddulph, so I understand what those small business owners are going through.
“It’s just frustrating because everybody wants the market on a Saturday – and we can’t. “We don’t want to lose our high street, and it feels like a Saturday market would be a massive thing to happen. It could bring people out of their houses and into the town centre.” Biddulph Town Council is well aware of the 1272 law.
It said: “Our neighbouring town of Congleton is a charter market, a status which was granted in 1272. This prevents other places in a 6.6mile radius from having a market on a Saturday.
“Congleton Town Council is not the custodian of this charter right. That rests with Cheshire East Council, which now runs the Congleton Market.
“Over the years, Biddulph Town Council has had many discussions about the charter to ask if we could move our market to a Saturday, but Cheshire East wishes to uphold the charter.”
The Sentinel has approached Cheshire East Council for a statement regarding the issue.