Video: Market marred by 'traffic hell'

Tony Clark, who runs Quinn’s fruit and veg stall opposite the town hall, says cars drive too fast and too close to the stalls, and the fumes are an irritation.

He has warned traders will not stay on after an initial 13-week contract, unless Colchester Council makes the market safer.

The Gazette understands at least five traders have given up their stalls since the market opened on April 3.

There was significant drop in the number of stallholders on Friday. About ten stalls were vacant, and some stallholders had paid for one stall, but could use the leftover space.

Mr Clarke, 55, who runs the stall with his wife, Sue, said: “It’s been absolutely terrible for us.

Sue is coughing from all the fumes from the traffic.

“I’m off on holiday for two weeks and when we come back, we will have to take stock of how we go forward.

“We can’t go on like this.”

“When vehicles go past, they are not doing 20mph, the speed limit in High Street. It’s not safe at all.”

Mr Clark said during rain last week the new stalls leaked and he lost a box of tomatoes into the road after a bus drove past, shaking the stall.

Mr Clarke has warned council bosses the market is an accident waiting to happen, with the stalls being too close to the road.

He said: “It might only happen once, but it only has to happen once.”

Mr Clark’s stall moved from Culver Street East, when the market re-opened in High Street four weeks ago.

Since then, he says his takings have halved and he has had to lay off three staff.

Fellow greengrocer Malcolm McLaren echoed Mr Clark’s comments.

He said: “It hasn’t been very good for us.

“We have lost a lot of customers and to be honest we’re struggling with the traffic.

“We did tell customers where we would be, but you can’t make them come up the High Street, can you?”

Colchester Council spent £100,000 on the market, which runs on Fridays and Saturdays.

Anne Turrell, councillor responsible for the market, said bosses are trying to find a way to help traders.

She said: “I have had nothing, but praise for the market from residents. People are really buying into it.”

“But we are looking into traders’ concerns.”

She has previously said any traffic calming measures in would be the responsibility of Essex County Council, as the highways authority.

! We have taken a video of traf fic driving past the stalls.

It shows how close they are, and the effect it has on them.

‘It’s not really as bad as everyone is making out’ 

A TRADER has called for patience with Colchester’s new market, saying: “It is not as bad as everyone makes out.”

Steve Hurdle, who runs the Best Days vintage clothing stall, said he has had no problems since last month’s move.

He said: “I am quite happy being out here.

“The stalls are definitely a better quality than they were and being in the High Street is better.”

Mr Hurdle admitted trading on the market is not as big a priority for him as it is for traders who rely on it solely for an income.

He said: “For us, it is secondary to our shop in Eld Lane and it’s not all about making cash.

“It’s about getting the brand to more people and High Street is great for that.”

Mr Hurdle said his income at the stall is about the same as it was in Culver Street West, before he moved.

He also praised Colchester Council market staff.

He said: “They bend over backwards to help you if they can.”