Market stalls plan for former Wolverhampton Sainsbury's
Market stalls should be moved into an empty former Sainsbury's supermarket, a former mayor has suggested.
Councillor Malcolm Gwinnett made the call as Wolverhampton's markets face losing stalls as traders are facing a five per cent hike.
The only UKIP councillor for Wolverhampton said the former Sainsbury's store in St George's Parade, which is now empty and being advertised for new occupants, would be the ideal site.
However, Wolverhampton City Council confirmed it had no plans to move there. The site is also still owned by Sainsbury's.
Councillor Gwinnett said: "It makes sense. It's on a bus route and has a big car park.
"Now that Tesco is no longer coming to the Royal Hospital there's no competition from a supermarket in that end of the city centre."
Sainsbury's left the store last year to move to a new multi-million pound site in Alexandra Street.
Butcher Dud Malik, from the Wolverhampton Indoor Market Traders' Association, said: "We spent years waiting for the new Sainsbury's to be built near us so shoppers would have free parking and be drawn towards this end of the city centre.
"We wouldn't want to move away now."