Traders in the Shambles market hall in Devizes have won their fight to stop it closing for renovation work.

They feared many of them would go to the wall if they could not trade between June 10 and July 7 as laid out in a letter from Wiltshire Council two weeks ago.

They were warned their licences could be revoked if they opposed the closure.

The letter said: “The council is empowered to terminate a licensee’s license (sic) giving one weeks (sic) notice to the licensee if they ignore or fail to comply with any reasonable instructions or directions by the Market Officer.”

Tony May from Bromham, who has run his fruit and veg stall for 15 years, said he and fellow traders were furious at the lack of consultation.

He said: “We have been treated with utter contempt, kept in the dark, our livelihoods put at risk by a department of Wiltshire Council that has little regard or respect for the market traders.

“Are the elected members of the council aware that this type of activity is going on and would they want to be associated with it?”

Following negotiations with council officers, set up by Wiltshire councillor Jeff Ody, it was agreed that the market hall would remain open.

Its lower half, closer to the Market Place, will shut between June 10 and 29 and the upper half, closer to the west central car park, will close between July 1 and 20.

Traders voted 16 to one to accept this compromise at a meeting last Thursday.

A council spokesman said: “The nature of the project is complex, as it involves the re-roofing of the building and replacement of the lantern light above while the market stalls below remain in use. “The council and its contractor, Steele Davis, are working closely with market traders, neighbouring businesses and residents to ensure that the works progress with the minimum of disruption and the utmost safety.”

The £300,000 renovations will weatherproof the roof.

source: Wiltshire Gazette & Herald