TRADERS fear they could lose one of the year's busiest trading weeks as punks take over Morecambe's festival market.

The 25th anniversary of punk will be celebrated in the resort on July 6, 7 and 8.

And, with the Empire building now an empty shell organisers demanded the market as one of their four main venues.

But angry stallholders say they will lose a full week's trading during the vital Edinburgh fortnight, and they have already collected almost 3,000 signatures on a petition calling for the punks to be moved elsewhere, including some from as far away as Manchester and Sunderland.

Traders' contracts specify that they may have to leave the market for up to eight days each year to make way for events, and they were forced to move out for a Shakespeare festival two years ago. But they say over 100 staff will be put out of work for the week, while many traders do not have anywhere to keep their stock and other equipment.

Around 50 stallholders put their concerns to city council economic development committee chairman Cllr Paul Morris at a special meeting on Tuesday night.

And arrange further meetings are now planned to discuss a possible compromise.

Traders association chairman Colin Gibson said: "We welcome the punks to Morecambe and any tourists, but there is no reason for them to use the Festival Market.

"We are looking at a loss of £60,000 to £70,000. It's also Edinburgh fortnight, which is one of our busiest times of the year.

"They've offered us the chance to open on Wednesday instead, but what's the point in opening on a Wednesday as a one off?"

Trader David Kennedy told the meeting: "This is now Morecambe's biggest tourist attraction. We've already had people say they will not come back because Frontierland and Bubbles are closing. What will happen if people turn up and find that the Market is closed as well?"

Cllr Morris replied: "The punk festival said they would not come to Morecambe without the festival market. It's the only building large enough to accommodate over 2,000 people."

And Cllr Morris, who suggested that the market may be opened seven days a week during the summer in future, added: "We have to weigh up what is good for Morecambe, Lancaster and the district.

Locally based punk rocker Ian Roberts, who observed Tuesday night's meeting for organiser Darren Russell Smith, told The Citizen: "We appreciate the concerns of the traders, but I think you are looking at up to a quarter of a million pounds coming in to the area during the festival.

"The average punk will be spending two, three or four hundred pounds over the course of the weekend."

The festival, which has received £15,000 from the council, will feature big name acts like the Stranglers, SLF and Sham 69.

Tickets are priced £55 for the weekend and are available from Morecambe TIC on 01524 582808.