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Market review fails to quell fears of traders
Reporter: JANICE BARKER
Date online: 10/07/2009
A NEW markets management team has been brought in to Tommyfield — but outdoor traders fear the market is still on the slide.
The team is part of a review of all Oldham’s markets being carried out by a group headed by Mohib Uddin, the councillor responsible for regeneration.
It includes Michelle Carr, the assistant director of regeneration, and Alan Hartwell, the interim markets’ manager, and has been meeting twice weekly as well as carrying out research.
But Labour councillors say all but one of the experienced markets staff have been replaced and traders at Tommyfield Market are concerned about how the market is currently being managed.
Councillor Shoab Akhtar, shadow cabinet member for environment and infrastructure, said: “All the businesses in Oldham are suffering because of the economic downturn, but this is a double whammy for the market traders as the decision on the outdoor market has once again been delayed, alongside the market being managed by agency staff.
“There’s no doubt that the long-term future of the market is in doubt.”
Textile trader Khalid Hussain said: “Nothing is being discussed. Simple repairs are not being done, even getting a light changed. I organised a petition last year, but nothing has changed.”
And Mahmood Akram, who sells knitwear, added: “I bought my own nuts and bolts to repair the stall.
“We have been promised that they will stop casual traders duplicating what the regular traders sell, but we are waiting for things to change.”
Councillor Uddin urged them to be patient and said: “The council places great value on the role of the markets making a valuable contribution to the wider town centre economy.
“To support all our markets an experienced interim management team has been brought in which is currently reviewing the entire service.
“There has been years of lack of investment and no coherent strategy. Some of our markets work and some don’t.
“We hope to come forward with a report in the next couple of months. Rather than doing little things we have got to come up with a proper strategy looking at the longer term.
“We are looking at everything and nothing has been discounted.”
Indoor stall holder Justin Brierley, chairman of the market traders, added: “It is about how to move forward and bring the market up to date.
People must be getting frustrated but it is a matter of giving it time.”
Have Your Say
I could cry when i see how much as been lost in this great town of ours.If the council had tried to help the outside traders by reducing their rents years ago, then maybe they wouldnt have gone off to trade in other towns.I know that there are a lot of other reasons why traders have abandoned the market.It is only a matter of time before it is all turned into a car park.
..'an experienced interim management team has been brought in.' Experienced in what? One is assistant director of regeneration of which we have exactly none in Oldham. The other is 'interim markets manager.' As this is an interim team, does this make him an interim, interim member? Then we have coun Uddin. What are his qualifications? Is it me, or does 'experienced' just mean half a dozen jobsworths with nothing else to do at the minute? This is going to end in tears folks! No one has a clue!
You don't need experience to see what the problem is!!!!! Absolute garbage to say the council places any value in the markets we have in Oldham. These Lib Dems better start changing things quickly or they will be as useless as the Labour buffoons they replaced.
I feel agrieved that too many people are 'slagging' off the market service. The market always appears tidy and free from hazards, the traders always appear happy rather than disgruntled as is being portrayed and the markets employed staff also appear supportive and proactive in their operations (my elderly mother was once pushed over near the market, and the market office staff supported her along with the representation from the sevurity staff to ensure she was looked after appropriately).
Stop slagging off the markets and use your pent up frustrations from the past regime, to support, work with and develop what is a COMMUNITY MARKET.
You cannot expect the council to put any person in interim management positions, as the markets are a specialised field in their own right and at least the council has had the common sense approach to invest in persons with experience to look at, evaluate and plan a way forward for the market which would surely benefit a) the traders, b) the customers and also the working lives of those employed within the market service.
Cllr Mohib Uddin, look at Bury and Ashton markets- it is easy to see how successful Oldham's could be too if you'd get your finger out ! You turned half of it inot a car park but who wants shop in Oldham any more?
By morgana60 @ 10/07/2009 17:26:20
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