MAY I, through your paper, point out a few home truths about our new market.

As a trader for 20 odd years, I am very concerned. Everyone is struggling with high rents and loss of trade and through no fault of our own we were moved from a prime position in Tontine Market to a temporary position which was a car park and used for car boot sales. This lost my firm 75 per cent of trade.

Now in our present position in St Mary's Market, we have not got that trade back and it is going to get worse. It is heartbreaking what we have been reduced to.

There has already been over 100 jobs lost and a 40 per cent shut down of stalls in just 17 months - who is going to be next? We need customers and we need help from our council to reduce our rents and we need it NOW.

Come on St Helens, support your market before it is too late. We have served generations of your families with quality goods - please let us serve you.

P. Turner.

Coultshead Avenue, Billinge.

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