I'm a Preston outdoor market trader and I'm concerned for our livelihoods amidst closure rumours
Traders at Preston’s covered outdoor market are currently anxiously awaiting confirmation that they should close up shop in the next few weeks.
Over the past few days, rumours have been circulating amongst traders at Preston’s outdoor market that they are to close next month.
In particular the traders believe that their outdoor market space will be used as a storage yard for the contractors who are to commence work on Amounderness House this summer.
It is unclear where the rumours originated from, but chatter amongst the traders led some to approach the market’s management who reportedly confirmed the market’s upcoming closure without being able to prove further detail.
One trader, who has worked on the covered outdoor market for 8 years told the Post: “The problem we've got as traders, or what we can't seem to get answers to, is what's happening to all the traders.
“We can't get an answer of where we're going to be moved, how many stores they're going to move, where they're going to put us, what dates is the market potentially going to close? What sort of development are they doing on the old Earl Street Market? Is it going to become units? Is it going to become flats? There's nothing concrete that's been said.
“It's frustrating because potentially, in six weeks time, they're saying that they're going to close the market but I'm sure that Preston Council will have known for months and months that this is going to happen. We can't get any feedback and it's affecting people's livelihoods.
“Preston itself at the moment too, it's not really a city, is it? There's no Guild Hall, Church Street’s an absolute disgrace to walk down, and now potentially they're going to close the outdoor market. And, I mean, do they really want an outdoor market? You know, is it a way of just trying to faze things out?
“But trying to get answers off the council, you might as well try and get an audience with a king. There's been no feedback from the council. You know, you'd half expect them to come down, possibly meet with traders, say ‘look, these are the plans of the proposed projects that are going to go ahead, we're looking at moving you to xyz’.
“I think the idea is that they move us to the front of the market, you know where the Wallace and Gromit statue is but that can only be a percentage of the current stores that are used, there's about 48 to 50 stalls at the moment on the large outdoor market… and the problem with the front of the market is it's not covered so if the weather's bad, we're going to get soaked!”
So what has the council said?
Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Resources at Preston City Council, Cllr Martyn Rawlinson said: “We have no intention to close Preston Markets. We are entering a period of disruption within the vicinity of the outdoor market due to regeneration works starting on Amounderness House and Lancaster Road public realm improvement work.
“Our priority of course of being able to deliver a high-quality outdoor market, but we need to consider the health and safety of traders and the public. We are looking at several options to rearrange stall locations which will ensure the continued delivery of the outdoor market.
“We are currently engaging with individual traders and contractors on the next steps.”
The Lancashire Post went back to the council to ask them to confirm if the ‘rearrangements of stall locations’ does mean a temproary closure of the outdoor market and also how long they suspect this disruption to last.
In response, Preston City Council confirmed that it is wrong to believe the outdoor market is being closed, it is instead being “temporarily relocated” but “stalls will remain at Preston markets”.
The council spokesperson added: “We are in the process of finalising the details of this relocation.
“We are anticipating disruption for 20 months with an expected completion date of January 2027.
“All traders will receive full details via a letter.”