Market on the move in spite of concerns

On Friday members of New Forest District Council general purposes and licensing committee will decide whether the market should be allowed to trade in the northern section of Station Road while workmen relay pavements at the southern end.

The £700,000 refurbishment scheme is expected to start in late July and take four months to complete in time for the start of the Christmas shopping rush.

When it is finished, the southern end of the street will match the northern section, which underwent a similar makeover two years ago.

However, some traders have spoken out against the market's temporary move.

Southern Market Traders' chief executive tried to ameliorate fears on the morning of Sunday, June 3, by putting up stalls in a bid to show shopkeepers the set-up and get them on-side.

Chris Chambers of C & J Topp Fruits believes there is only space for 20 stalls and not the 35 suggested by Mr Lewis.

He also believes the market will encroach onto the road "with traffic chaos the inevitable result".

He has "painful memories of the earlier refurbishment which led to a substantial loss in turnover.

"This loss of business was felt by all the traders and resulted in a token rate rebate from NFDC," he said.

And he claimed 99 per cent of businesses "do not want the market and never have".

Stallholders pay no rates and undercut shop prices, he said.

"I've no objection to competition, but let's keep a level playing field."

Other shopkeepers have concerns about safety.

"It's an accident waiting to happen," said one trader, who said she was keeping an open mind as to whether the stalls would increase or reduce business.

She said people would be walking out from between the stalls into two-way traffic, which she claimed was sometimes driven faster than the 30mph limit.

However, Hampshire County Council's principal engineer says provided proper signs are in place there will be no safety implications. Nor have there been objections from the police or the town council.