‘We’ve missed our busiest periods:’ trader says businesses will suffer after opening because of market delays

A Peterborough market trader has said stall holders have missed out on the “busiest period of the year” – after the new outdoor market in Bridge Street is delayed for a second time.

Peterborough City Council expected to deliver the new market in June but the opening date has been set back because of a shortage of wood, which was required to build 12 bespoke wooden kiosks.

However, the indoor food hall opened as scheduled at the start of of the month,

The traders have now been told that the market is not expected to open until the start of August, as the kiosks are taking contactors longer to build than initially anticipated.

‘Missed the busiest periods’

Steve Wetherill, who owned a fruit and vegetable stall at the former Northminister market site and is moving into a new stall in Bridge Street, says the spring and summer months are his busiest periods of the year, which have now been lost because of further delays.

"Our time of the year has gone,” he said. “Now we’ve got to open up when it’s the worst time of the year for retailers.

"From August to November any trader or retailer will tell you it’s the worst time of the year.

"We’ve missed the busiest periods and the price of produce has gone up. Everybody’s going to be affected.”

The council has been paying traders like Mr Wetherill since April 1.

Six traders will continue to be paid by the council until the new market opens, which the local authority has said will cost just under £40,000 from when the payments started to the end of July.

Mr Wetherill said that the council recently told traders that payment would not be continuing and they were offered temporary “pop-up stalls” in the city centre while waiting for the new market to open.

"I said that’s not going to work for me and my goods because my produce isn’t designed to be packed away every night,” he said.

"Thankfully, last Friday (July 1) they said my reasons were good enough and that they would continue giving me the holiday payment.”

‘We listened to their feedback’

The council said it had to make a decision whether to open the market at the end of June by using temporary pop-up stalls or delaying the opening until August.

After communicating with the traders the council ultimately decided to push the opening of the market back.

A Peterborough City Council spokesperson, said: "When we found out the wooden kiosks would be delayed we had two options.

"To open the market as planned and use pop-up stalls, or to delay until the start of August.

"We spoke to traders who told us that operating from pop-ups would be difficult for them.

"We listened to their feedback and made the decision to delay the opening to the start of August and to continue payments to ensure they were supported through this time."