Council want stall holders to move to Lisburn
Square
by STACEY HEANEY
MARKET traders in Lisburn have expressed
their concern after a meeting -was called by Lisburn City
Council to discuss moving them from their current site in
Smithfield Square to Lisburn Square.
Local stall holders, many of whose families
have worked at Lisburn market for generations, believe that the
move would be to the detriment of their livelihoods, as they
don't believe Lisburn Square would be big enough to accommodate
them.
In a letter received by traders this week,
the Council invited those operating in Smithfield Square and
Lisburn Square to a meeting on Monday (October 13) to discuss
"proposals to cease operating the temporary overflow market from
the Smithfield Square site as there is sufficient space within
Lisburn Square to accommodate all market traders."
Local trader Catherine Deacon, who is the
third generation of her family to run a Fruit and Veg stall at
Lisburn market, said: "It is just not feasible for us to move to
Lisburn Square. There would be no room to facilitate our lorries
to replenish our stock throughout the day."
Another trader, Jimmy Murdock, added: "This
is like a bolt out of the blue. I have been trading for 60 years
and my family were trading before me.
"Lots of people are gobsmackecl and
absolutely flabbergasted by this," he said.
Jimmy continued, "If there is going to be a
market in Lisburn it needs to be on the site it is on. We were
not taking anything out of the system, we are adding to Lisburn
city. People come from all locations to visit the market.
"There is no way the market would fit into
Lisburn Square. The council have nothing to do with that market,
and it is not suitable to hold this outside operation.
"I have been here since I. was 15 years old,
my grandmother traded here before me. I am sick to my stomach,"
Jimmy concluded.
A Lisburn City Council spokesperson said: "At
last month's meeting of the Environmental Services Committee it
was agreed to invite traders who are still using the temporary
overflow market in Smithfield Square to a meeting to discuss
their relocation to the main market trading area in Lisburn
Square.
"This meeting, scheduled to take place before the next
meeting of the Committee, will enable market traders to put
their views forward and future arrangements for those occupying
the temporary market area outside Lisburn Square to be
discussed."
stacey.heaney@jpress.co.uk Ulster Star
10/10/2008
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