Despite positive start, some market traders are unhappy with new site

Rochdale Market

Despite having a positive outlook for the future of the new Rochdale market, just over a week after opening, a number of traders are bitterly disappointed and unhappy.

Some traders have described the process of the move as being “thrown out” of the old indoor market and "rushed" to the new location.

Khalid Hullah, from Mobile Magic, said: “It needs to be covered for it to work out here. When it rains then you can see what it’s like, especially for those with clothes, no one is here and stock has to be moved in and out.

"We were rushed out of the old location and put here and it isn’t great.”

Farida Rasool, who has a watch repair stall, said: “A lot of people are not happy at the minute. We were thrown out of the old site and put here. I’m not happy in the cold and we don’t have any heating.”

As well as being let down by the process of being moved to the new site, traders are unhappy with the lack of facilities, including no toilets, not enough electricity and a lack of storage space.

Farida continued: “We were told that we couldn’t put anything on the back wall of the cabin so I have had to build my own shelves and we have no storage so we can’t keep anything on site. I’m not sure how long I will stay here. I think I’m going to start looking for better premises.”

Alison Melia, who also has a watch repair stall, has had to limit the service she delivers. Previously in the indoor market she could sell products but now with the lack of storage, she has decided to only provide a watch and jewellery repair service. She said: “We were in the indoor market for 33 years so it is a big change to adjust to and I think we will give it time but last week was just awful with the weather. We have no heating and we have been told we can’t have a kettle or anything so that is an issue. It is hard.”

Wahid Hussain, who has a clothes stall on the market, said: “No one is happy. It is not hygienic the way we are asked to operate. We have to go to the Wheatsheaf, The Regal Moon or the bus station for the toilet. We have nowhere to wash our hands, so even though we are outside with dirty hands and stock is getting dirty, we have to eat our meals with dirty hands.

“If it is windy or raining then we struggle because the clothes get blown away and it is not practical. The clothes get wet and then people don’t want to buy anything that is wet. Plus we have no storage space on site so everything has to be loaded and unloaded every day.”

It is understood that traders are charged £10 a day for renting the cabins and have to pay their rent a week in advance.

Bashir Mohammed, another clothes seller, said: “I don’t mind paying my rent but when I am paying for a week and I can’t come for three days because of the weather, that’s not fair and I don’t get anything back. That isn’t my fault if I can’t come because of bad weather. I have been stood here all day today (Monday 2 February) and only made £5 after paying my rent. I have stock that no one wants now.”

Mr Galvin, who moved from the indoor market, said: “If they could provide portacabins or something like that then that would be fine and I would be happy. I don’t mind the location and think it’s good with good footfall but I think the toilet issue could be addressed.”

Ann English, who sells make up, added: “It’s not good and people aren’t happy. I don’t think it’s the location that’s the problem, I think we have lost customers. It’s been hard because the customers that I did have and that I did rely on aren’t coming now and I don’t know why that is but it’s affecting business.”

Councillor Farooq Ahmed, who visited traders a few days after the market opened, said: “When we went to have a look and speak to the traders, we were bombarded by them telling us how unhappy they were. Even though the new site is a temporary measure, it is not practical. There are no toilet facilities for the traders so they have to close their stalls to go to the toilet. It just isn’t practical and hasn’t been thought through.

“Traders are upset and don’t think the way they have been moved and treated is fair. We need to act on these issues, make it better and adapt what we have.”

Mark Widdup, Director for Economy and Environment at Rochdale Borough Council, said: “The market is no more than a few minutes’ walk away from the town centre toilets and it was made clear to stallholders before they moved that they wouldn’t be provided with any electricity, other than lighting for the cabins. The council has tried to organise storage for the traders, but this hasn’t been possible. Other markets in the borough, such as Middleton, have operated successfully for a number of years without storage facilities. The council has worked hard with the existing traders to provide the new temporary market in order to avoid a trading gap. The market is going from strength to strength with 22 traders doing business last Saturday with the addition of food vendors going on site from Monday of this week.”