A RALLYING cry has gone out to shoppers in Leyland: support your local market and bag yourself a bargain!

Beleaguered stallholders are still smarting over the proposed move to Ecroyd Street, off Hough Lane, claiming that it could signal the final nail in the coffin for struggling traders.

Yet the majority of traders, including town centre councillors, say that shoppers are still visiting market days in their droves and that the move will not adversely affect trade.

One such trader, Debbie Noblett, 38, who has run a flower stall on Leyland market for 25 years, says she is looking forward to moving to the new site.

She said: "We still have many local shoppers who regularly come here. It's not mad-busy, but it's not bad.

"We try to promote the market as much as we can. I think people will still come when we move to Ecroyd Street." G Sabir, from Altrincham, who runs a fashion stall, agreed with Debbie.

He said: "There is still a lot of loyal customers who come on the market, especially on Fridays.

"Luckily people still support us and I should imagine they will continue to do so."

One shopper Marlene Fortune, 50, from Barncroft, says she comes to Leyland market three times a week.

"It's an ideal place for me and my disabled husband. We both like the market and will still use it when it has moved."

Mathew Tomlinson, ward councillor for Leyland central, echoed the stallholders' comments. He said: "The market is still an important part of Leyland's heritage, and I think a lot of people are looking forward to its move in to the town centre.

"I want to see good publicity as far as the market goes, because I think we all know how much traders have suffered."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.