Wolverhampton market traders offered trial move

Market traders will be offered a trial move to the centre of Wolverhampton over the summer in an effort to secure their future.

Summer markets are set to be held on Wednesdays in July and August in Queen Square and at the top of Victoria Street.

The move will be offered at no cost to taxpayers because it will be run by the same company that puts on farmers' markets for Wolverhampton City Council.

But traders on the existing markets will get first refusal on taking a stall on the temporary summer market.

Speaking after a meeting of the ruling Tory-Lib Dem cabinet last night, environment boss Councillor Barry Findlay said: "Wednesday is traditionally the quietest market at the current indoor and outdoor markets.

"We will survey the market traders and if they don't want it we won't do it.

"This is a test of our options for the future."

Last night also saw senior councillors agree to look into returning the markets to the piazza outside the Civic Centre and St Peter's Church, where they used to be based 40 years ago.

The option was suggested by market traders.

Rents on market stalls have also been frozen at last year's rates. The move will lose the council £8,000 but was made in a bid to prevent trade from dwindling.

The council has also offered existing traders at the indoor market reduced rents of £25 a week for occupying vacant stalls.

Those taking up the offer will have to sign a weekly licence, renewed and reviewed each Friday.

Traders at the outdoor market can take extra stalls for a flat £5 rate on Wednesdays.

Stallholders on all of the city's markets who introduce friends to set up for 13 weeks would be given a 20 per cent rent reduction for a month.

The incentive plans also include a 12-week rent-free business start-up scheme for new stallholders, offering a trade line that is not currently represented on the indoor market.

No decision will be made on the future of the markets for another year until more is known about the development of the stalled £300 million Summer Row shopping centre.

Hundreds of people have joined Facebook groups calling for the markets in Wolverhampton to be saved.

The council suffered a loss of £140,000 in rents from the indoor and outdoor markets last year.

Options for the future include moving the markets to Dudley Street and putting stallholders who need fridges into mobile units.

The council could allocate 75 spaces in Dudley Street for traders in basic stalls with fabric roofs.

Another option would see 45 larger stalls, which bosses believe would be more attractive.

Another possibility includes allowing the traders to control the markets independent of the council with their own co-operative.

Costs could be cut between £40,000 and £50,000 by not having council managers.