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Dudley Market opening date confirmed - but traders fear won't be able to access stalls

The long-awaited new £6.7 million Dudley Market will open on March 1 - but traders are concerned they will not be able to access their stalls.

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Work to lay pavements will continue for weeks after the opening and stall holders are worried they will be forced to park further away.

Traders that are currently at a temporary site had originally hoped to return to their pitches last year.

Council bosses have now told them the market will be ready by March 1. But Dudley Market Traders Association chairman Len Lenihan said many would prefer to wait until it is fully complete.

Work started in June last year on the new 74-pitch market, which will also see the Duncan Edwards statue moved to the New Street end of the high street.

Mr Lenihan, who has had a stall for 26 years, said: "We originally thought it would be all finished by the end of October last year but it has dragged on.

"The traders are not happy with the fact that the traffic management system would mean that they would not be able to park outside their stalls so would have to carry stock all the way across the market."

The stalls are currently based on the other side of the town centre fountain, and they spill on to Stone Street on busier days such as Wednesday and Friday.

Mr Lenihan added: "It is all very vague and the traders are not happy because they are already suffering the consequences of having to work off a temporary market.

"We have had concessions in rent but we are concerned about what will happen until the pavements are done.

"We are trying to get them to look at it from the view of the traders to give them unimpeded access.

"We want to come up with a different system - we want to get back to a market that can operate normally."

Councillor Judy Foster, cabinet member for regeneration, said: "We made a commitment that the new market stalls will be operational by the end of February and we have informed the market traders that they can trade from them from March 1.

"The paving to the market stalls will be finished, and we will ensure that the public has access to the market.

"However, we will then be laying the paving in the wider area around the stalls. This is expected to be completed in spring, as programmed."

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