Market disruption 'worth it in long term'

Market traders in Wolverhampton say temporary upheaval for a site upgrade will be worth it in the long run.

The 200-year-old Bilston Outdoor Market relocated to Bert Turner Boulevard, High Street and Church Street last month to make way for £5.2m improvement works.

Fruit and veg trader Julie Emery said: "Our store rooms are away by the old market, so that's a little bit harder work, and it's a little bit harder to set things out here."

But Ms Emery, whose grandparents started the stall in the 1920s, added: "It was looking tired. I think it did need a refurb and I’m quite excited about it."

Another stall-holder, David Holden, said: "Some of the traders are unfortunately not very happy about it, because they've moved off their old traditional pitches where they've always been for years.

"But you've got to move to get the market back to as it should be.

"The new market will be excellent when it's built and done, hopefully anyway.”

Plans for the year-long project include demolishing existing structures to create more modern units, and improving the market's entrance.

City of Wolverhampton council leader Stephen Simkins described the outdoor market as the "lifeblood of our whole ethos and our whole society and community in Bilston".

"It's important that we make that commitment to keep working with the traders and working with the businesses," he added.

By contrast, Wolverhampton's wholesale market is closing after the council approved plans to redevelop the site.

"It’s a tough decision," Mr Simkins said. "We don't want the wholesale market to leave the city, we've offered alternative sites.

"They haven't had a rent increase for 10 years. Some might say that we've been subsidising the wholesale market and is that a good use of public funds? Doubtful."

The city council, which is trying to save £30m by 2027, added the Bilston market project was funded by a ring-fenced government Towns Fund grant .

Traders expect to move back to the revamped area in Autumn next year.

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