Long Sutton Parish Council wants to know why its town market is being forced to move while a decision to relocate Spalding’s has been rescinded.
South Holland District Council wants to move the market from its current location in Market Place to the car park behind the Co-op Funeral Directors in West Street.
The parish council is angry over the move, saying it will kill the market.
Councillors are particularly angry that plans to move Spalding market to Victoria Street car park have been shelved by SHDC after complaints from stall holders.
A parish council spokesman said: “We are awaiting a response for an FOI request for documents relating to the decision taken to move Long Sutton market and over documents relating to rescinding the decision to move Spalding market.
“The matter of the road closure is questionable given Spalding has a road closure in the middle of town two days a week with no problem.
“Residents in West Street are unhappy that they have not been consulted about the decision. The majority only have on-street parking and they are worried that large vehicles accessing the market may damage their cars when turning into such a small space.
“It is also envisaged that pedestrians, due to the additional parking in West Street and the increase in footfall, will take to walking in the road to avoid contact on a narrow path in a congested area. It is a recipe for disaster.
“It seems more feasible for SHDC to ensure cars are removed from the car park in Market Place and that SHDC, as holder of the Long Sutton Market Charter, enforces the existing parking restrictions.
“This would allow stall holders to use the maximum space available and apply social distancing guidelines to their stalls. The moving of the market will be dangerous and will cause more problems than it will solve.
“We are against the move and wish the market to remain in the Market Place where it belongs and maintain the tradition.
“We will press for SHDC to rescind the decision as they have with Spalding Market.
“Why should Long Sutton be treated differently if they are applying the same COVID-19 guidelines to both markets?”
In a statement to the parish council, a SHDC spokesman said: “There is no question of the council seeking to impose decisions through stealth.
“We are, of course, in the unenviable position of having to take decisions at much shorter notice than would ordinarily be the case – this is to be expected during a national (indeed international) emergency.
“Our decisions are being made in accordance with our constitution and are published for transparency once a formal decision is made.
“Our decisions are focused on supporting local businesses and ensuring a safe town and market for traders and local residents.”
At the meeting of South Holland District Council’s Cabinet on Tuesday Roger Gambba-Jones, addressed the issues at Long Sutton and a recommendation was passed that the market stay in the Market Place if a road closure order that’s ‘viable and achievable’ could be agreed, but otherwise the market would move to the car park.
He said: “Long Sutton is unique in the fact it occupies spaces that place them very close to the retail units which is a plus for the dynamics and the vibrancy but a great challenge now that we have COVID to deal with.
“This has brought a significant issue with how we make a COVID compliant market work in Long Sutton.
“Our initial proposal in relation to moving it to the adjacent district council car park near the Co-Op was not well met and since that time we’ve been attempting to achieve a road closure.
“That’s still in discussion but there was a degree of uncertainty and confusion about the type of road closure. We think we’re close to a solution.”
He continued: “We still hope it will happen by no later than the end of June to see something in that location or very near by.”
Coun Coupland responded that he’d spoken to Richard Davies at Lincolnshire County Council and he’d been told that the authorities had provisionally agreed on the terms of the road closure.
However Coun Gambba-Jones said there were still concerns over the cost of implementing the road closure and infrastructure and stated that shop owners would need to be made aware that there would be no exceptions in Long Sutton’s Market Place.
“We will do everything we can to get it open as soon as possible,” Coun Gambba-Jones said.
