‘I’LL GIVE IT UNTIL CHRISTMAS - BUT I CAN’T SURVIVE LIKE THIS’
Enforced market move hits traders in pocket
STALLHOLDERS who have been forced to move to new locations have spoken of their dramatic loss in income.
Now some traders at Leek’s Wednesday Market say trade is down by up to 70 per cent and will not survive past Christmas.
The stallholders were located at the top of Derby Street for several years, with the cobbled Market Place area used as a car park.
However, six weeks ago Staffordshire Moorlands District Council informed stallholders that they were being moved to Market Place.
Iona Robinson, who sells jewellery, said: “I have told the market inspector that I will not survive.
“Why have they forced us to move when trade was good on Derby Street?
“Many people have told us that we are out of the way and do not want to come to the stalls. It seems that no one will listen to us.”
Tracy Webster, who sells plants, said: “It has sometimes cost me to come to the market since we were forced to move. I am also 70 per cent down in income.
“I will give it until Christmas but I can’t survive like this.”
Balvinder Sohal, who sells men’s clothing, added: “It was brilliant on Derby Street with lots of passing footfall which resulted in good trade.
“Now since the move I have had two really bad weeks and I am down 50 per cent in trade every week.”
Three long serving stallholders moved from the top of Derby Street to Sparrow Park at the other end of the town’s main street, as they did not want to trade from the Market Place.
However, since the move they said that they are also down on income.
Maresh Chaddha has being attending Leek market and selling clothes for 47 years.
He said: “Since the move I am between 30 and 40 per cent down in trade. We knew that this would happen. People do not know where we are.”
Sue Lane sells women’s underwear and has been on the market for more than 20 years.
She said: “People need to know that we are trading now from Sparrow Park. Many people think that we have left. Since the move I have seen a loss of between 30 and 40 per cent in takings.”
Carpet seller Anthony Dixon, from Buxton, has been on the Leek market for 10 years.
He said: “It’s like starting all over again. I am between 30 and 40 per cent down in takings.” Council leader Sybil Ralphs said: “Having stalls in both the Market Place and at Sparrow Park means we can offer new opportunities to more traders to come and join the Leek markets as we’ve increased the capacity by using both sites.
“In the meantime, as we approach Christmas, we can anticipate a busier few weeks, and we’re doing our bit to support traders and local businesses by making sure we have clear signage in place to advise shoppers of the location of the stalls alongside promotion of the market in the media and our social media channels.”