Civic chiefs set to review High Street markets in Winchester
Civic chiefs set to review High Street markets in Winchester
30 September, 2011
CIVIC chiefs will look again at whether market vendors should operate in Winchester’s High Street.
They have been trading throughout the summer, angering existing shops who are worried about lost business. Yet Winchester City Council is making around £60,000 extra per year from the new market pitches in High Street.
The figure emerged at a recent meeting of Winchester Business Improvement District at the city’s Guildhall. Bosses at the cash-strapped council held a further meeting on Tuesday (September 6) to discuss the issue. They are planning to review how the market operates, which could see fewer vendors in High Street. The traders could also be moved back to Middle Brook Street, the market’s traditional home, which has less passing trade.
This summer there has been a surge in vendors coming to Winchester after council chiefs allowed the High Street to be used as well.
More than 20 are often packed into the section between the Upper Brook and Middle Brook Street junctions. Whilst many shoppers have welcomed the stalls, High Street stores have complained of deliveries being held up and customers finding the area too cramped. The stores were so upset that they collected a petition signed by more than 200 people raising concerns about the market’s sudden growth.
Winchester BID has recently been holding peace talks between both sides.
BID executive director Chris Turner said three proposals came forward after the first round of talks last month (August). One is to spread the market stalls further along the High Street, possibly into the wider section near the Buttercross. A second idea is to move some stalls back to Middle Brook Street. The final proposal is to produce a transport plan to ensure deliveries arrive on time.
More talks are planned but the council will be carrying out its own review too, which is due in October.
Cllr George Beckett, who leads the council, met senior officers on Tuesday to discuss what would be examined. Afterwards, he said: “We will review the whole operation of the market and we will take into account all of the comments that we receive.” He added: “We are in a situation where we have two groups with diametrically opposed views.” He said they might spread out market stalls along the High Street before the review to see if that solves the dispute.
BID members are due to hold another meeting with council chiefs at the guildhall on Tuesday, September 27.
A BID spokeswoman said this week: “I think the review will look at all the concerns that have come up so far, but it’s too early to say what the result will be.” The market currently operates in High Street every day except Mondays and Tuesdays.
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