AS a trader on Blackburn's three-day market and secretary of the local branch of the National Market Traders Federation (NMTF), I am absolutely livid that the council has seen fit to bring a French market to the town, without any consultation with existing market traders.
The NMTF guidelines state: "French or European markets should only be encouraged where full consultation has been sought with local market traders and wherever possible be integrated into local markets. They should also follow the legal trading practices of this country."
First, the council did not consult with traders and the fact the market was coming was presented as a fait accompli at a recent meeting of the Blackburn shopping centre and markets initiative committee.
I can only describe this as a very high-handed attitude and feel the French market is their answer to "Oh dear, what do we do with Church Street now?"
Secondly, they are being given rent-free pitches for the three days. The council are footing the bill for advertising this event, will have to clean up afterwards and, as your article (LET, June 13) stated, no monies will be paid into the borough.
Better this money be spent on the existing market! Maybe we traders should ask for such concessions!
Traders on both markets -- three-day and the six-day one -- have been offered free stalls along the front of Salford to provide a link with the French market. This would not, in effect, be free as we still have to pay our rent on our stalls. In fact, it would cost us money, staffing two stalls.
There are several other links and themes that have been put to us -- which again would mean us dipping into our own pockets. We have an excellent market complex in Blackburn, but sadly a declining one. Which leads me to ask: What is the council's remit regarding our markets?
We are always being told the council fully supports the markets and the future is bright, but we are concerned with the here and now. By the time this bright future materialises, many of the traders will have gone, being unable to sustain their business.
It is time the bright boys in the council looked at what the town already has to offer and spent money on enhancing it.
E HARGREAVES (Eileen's Cakes) Stall 58, Three-Day Market, Blackburn
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