NEWTON Abbot market traders are refusing to go up in the world – and so far the public seems to be backing them.
Faced with a move to the first floor as part of a £1m facelift for the Market Walk precinct, the 70-strong Market Traders Association has voted – with only a few abstentions – to keep their feet firmly on the ground floor.
They have launched an SOS (Save Our Stalls) campaign in an effort to change the proposal by Halladale Development Ltd to relocate them from the Butter Market into a purpose-built Market Hall above Somerfield supermarket.
'We welcome the investment, we welcome the injection of good hard Scottish cash,' said association secretary Lee Branson. 'But the principle of actually trading off the first floor of a building is what we are against.'
The association called a special emergency general meeting last week with the minutes revealing that one member, Bruce Osbourne, complained that the proposal 'took away all the nostalgia, history and atmosphere.'
Anne Robinson was concerned at the plight of the older generation having to cope with escalators and lifts while Bob Johnston said his business was showing a better return and he wanted to stay where he was to continue the success.
Colin Aston voiced concerns at first floor trading, citing the example of Fleet Walk in Torquay, where 'the idea is not working.'
Grant Devonport wanted to know, if relocation went ahead, where the traders would go during the change-over. He suggested Courtenay Street as a good temporary option which could become permanent.
Mr Branson admitted that the meeting 'got a little bit heated at times,' with many traders stating that their customers, mostly from the older generation, wouldn't go up an escalator or steps to do their shopping.
A lot of the traders stood up and said that the first floor scheme could kill their businesses, Mr Branson revealed.
'There are traders who are making a good profit. It's not just doom and gloom, there are people who are making money and why should they get up and move?
'It's different, I know, for the leaseholders. Some of them have different legal wranglings with the council.'
The traders wouldn't only have to compete with whatever new retailer moved into the Butter Market, but on two days a week they also had to compte with the outdoor market as well.
At the end of the meeting a vote was held and it was 'absolutely unanimous,' – with a few abstentions – that the principle of going up to the first floor just would not work, Mr Branson said.
'We thought right, from that moment, we are on an SOS – Save Our Stalls campaign.'
The traders are now in the process of asking the public how they feel about the proposal with a questionnaire/petition which wants to know: 'If this market was moved to the old job centre location, would you shop there as frequently as you do now, even if moving staircases and better access was provided?'
Mr Branson said traders were also concerned at a lack of guarantees that everyone would actually be relocated.
'If members of the public have got some other ideas of what they would like to see in the indoor market – if the market is going to stay there – what else would they like to see in there? A creche, cash machines, public telephone boxes, a balcony, that sort of thing. We want good constructive, objective stuff which the council could look at and analyse.'
Mr Branson said that although a number of the traders had been in the Butter Market for a long time they wanted to be respected as business people who could see beyond the end of their noses.
'There are many other issues. Once the older generation that shop in there has gone there will be nothing so we need to attract the younger generation, there's no question of that, but upstairs on escalators, up in lifts, the principle of all that everyone is just completely and totally against it.'
But if the public says the traders should make the move, what then? 'We will respect that, but primarily we are asking if they will support us,' he said.
The questionnaire/petition has to be completed and handed in to Teignbridge Council by June 17. So far it contains plenty of 'yes,' answers to the first floor move, Mr Branson revealed – but the majority are saying no.