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Anger over market move

by Jessica Beckett
7/ 5/2008

TOMMYFIELD Market traders claim they are being kept in the dark about plans to relocate to streets in the town centre.

Forty-two stalls would be relocated from the outdoor market to Market Place, Albion Street, Curzon Street and High Street under the scheme, which was approved last month by council planners.

But traders fear that the plan would be the final nail in the coffin for many stall holders.

Trader Iram Javed said: "We are very concerned about everything that is in the pipeline because no-one is telling us what is planned. Even after the plans to move the market to the town centre have been approved, market management claim they have no ideas themselves. If they don‘t know, then who does?"

Under the proposals, there would be a selection process for traders which would include the range of goods sold and proximity to existing retail outlets.

The idea is to avoid clashes with town centre stores and ensure as wide a variety of commodities on sale as possible.

Ms Javed added: "If the market has too many stalls selling similar goods, then that is not the traders’ fault, it is the fault of Oldham market management. A few years ago when the management started allocating permanent stalls to traders selling the same goods side by side, many traders complained, not only verbally but also in writing. But the issue just got brushed under the carpet and that is why we have ended up in this situation."

Khalid Hussain, who runs a fabric stall, said: "For many people this market is their livelihood. Some of the traders have been doing this for over 30 years, what are we supposed to do? If people lose their stalls, they lose their jobs and that affects not only the stall holder but also their families and employees."

Traders plan to submit a petition to Oldham Council in a bid to get their questions answered.

Peter Conroy, markets manager, said: "Plans to move the outdoor market have taken a significant amount of planning and are still ongoing. The next phase of the project to establish the on-street market will see environmental services communicating with current stall holders over the next few weeks about what the plans are and how they can get involved."