Market trader quitting after 16 years

A Stafford market trader is shutting up shop after 16 years - and fears others may soon be forced to follow suit.

Steve Astley-Nadine has run the pet shop in the town's indoor market since 1994, but claims his pitch is no longer viable.

He says he has seen his takings fall by around two-thirds since the recession first hit around two years ago.

His wife Colette was forced to shut her bag stall - a fixture of the market for 64 years - two months ago for similar reasons.

She will continue to run the Pet Stop pet shop in Greyfriars, which the couple opened 18 months ago.

Mr Astley-Nadine, who now plans to return to his former job in sales, blamed the situation on a lack of support from Stafford Borough Council and said he expected other traders would follow suit if conditions did not improve.

Bosses at the authority insist they are doing all they can to help traders - including carrying out refurbishment work inside the market and offering assistance with advertising.

They have in turn accused Mr Astley-Nadine of running down the market and putting potential and regular customers off.

Mr Astley-Nadine, aged 49, said: "I built the whole thing up from a little stall into a thriving business, but the recession has hit Stafford very, very hard.

"We've tried to talk to the council about it, but it seems they're not interested.

"We don't expect charity, but we'd like to talk to them to tell them how bad things really are."

Councillor Stan Highfield, cabinet member for environment and health, responded: "We are disappointed Mr Astley-Nadine has ignored the fact we have spent nearly £200,000 in recent years on improvements to the market, and advertised it in the local media and other publications all year round.

"We invited him to join a committee to look at ideas for the market but he did not want to, and he had the opportunity to advertise for free on the successful Stafford Town Centre Partnership website but has not.

"Other traders and customers have told us how he was not helping himself by running down the market - claiming it will be shut by Christmas - which is simply not true and actually puts potential and regular customers off."