Re: Market Hall Refurbishment
 

So Peter never changes ! Worked with him for years in the 90's.

Re: Market Hall Refurbishment
 

I went to see Marlene Haworth yesterday with Cllr Clare Pritchard and in fairness to her she heard us out. I asked her to be specific about terms of a review of 6 day trading and she conceded to put it in a letter to the traders. I would far rather work with a Conservative counterpart in ironing out the faults than watch the whole project descend into collapse.

The problem as far as I can see is that whoever is responsible for putting the work into the Market Hall, Peter Britcliffe is seen by the traders as the figurehead for the enforced changes, despite the fact that it was emphatically stated yesterday that he has had virtually nothing to do with it. Perhaps the brass plaque might have had something to do with that, Peter?

No one wants to see the Market Hall fail but I don't think anyone would push for 7 day trading at this point. Even the most egotistical of council leaders would see that as suicide, surely?

Re: Market Hall Refurbishment
 

could it be .. the council pushes for 7 day trading .. the traders then think 6 days isnt so bad .. and agree .. so they get what they want .. the 6 days trading ...

Re: Market Hall Refurbishment
 

That makes a great deal of sense wi that devious toad as leader.;)

Re: Market Hall Refurbishment
 

The fact remains that nobody wants 6 day trading, the council think that it's getting them to move into the 21st century though which is the killer.

It is completely the wrong move even considering it, in my opinion. I was told on Tuesday that the traders are being told to sign up to a three month trial period of 6 day trading rather than being forced into a permanent 6 day contract but even so.....

When all the booths on the upper level are on 6 day leases you can see why the stallholders are concerned about the term 'review period'. I have asked the council to be far more specific about the details of the review and Cllr Clare Pritchard requested that footfall is compared to the previous seven years rather than simply last year when the Market Hall was full of scaffolding.

I'm all for gentle evolution but at the moment it's difficult to see anything gentle about the new lease from the traders' point of view.

Re: Market Hall Refurbishment
 

Didn't the 'Busmans cafe' upstairs above the Market Hall operate 6 days a week ? not sure if it had an entrance from the Market Hall though , happen just is own from near the bus stops

Re: Market Hall Refurbishment
 

wasnt that just for the bus drivers .. ran by hyndburn transport .. their drivers rest area for when they were driving .....

Re: Market Hall Refurbishment
 

Nah mate the enterance was a door by the owd Blackburn bus stop, used to use it meself.;)

Re: Market Hall Refurbishment
 

thats the place , no idea who operated/managed it (Accrington Transport, or the Accrington Council ..... in the days before Hyndburn) , but we never had a problem using it when attending Sandy Lane Tech , thought it was open to everyone .

Re: Market Hall Refurbishment
 

it was open to everyone, near sure was owned by Transport.:)

Re: Market Hall Refurbishment
 

It was used by everyone except the bus drivers and conductors.They used the Nags Head.:hehetable

Re: Market Hall Refurbishment
 

Accy transport crews certainly did.:D;)

Re: Market Hall Refurbishment
 

A cafe is different from a market stall in that it is probably a prudent move to open 6 days a week and thus is worth paying the extra staff required.

A market trader (probably working alone) has to have a day to re-stock the stall and also have a day off. In order to cover staffing requirements for 6 day trading you actually need to employ two extra people in order to cover breaks, as laid down by the Working Time Directive.

If you're self-employed you can work what you like without a break but most employees don't feel the same way.

Re: Market Hall Refurbishment
 

Working that extra day also costs money(staff, electricity, time etc)....money that doesn't seem to be finding its way to the traders....so it is an uneconomic proposal. Now if, let us say, the council were to slash the stall rents for the proposed length of time of the trial.....just so that the footfall could be measured, and the economic possibility could be more accurately determined....then perhaps, just perhaps the benefits(or not) could be proved and the stall holders would be more amenable.

Failing that, what is wrong with opening the market hall so that the cafes and the upstairs units can operate, along with any stall holders who feel they can afford to trade?

HBC needto keep the Market Hall stall holders on their side, otherwise the money that they have paid out in refurbishments will go down the pan.

Re: Market Hall Refurbishment
 

Peter Britcliffe's comments in a local paper recently, where he claims he was worth every penny he received, just shows what an egotistical, arrogant, overrated, megalomaniac he really is...I'm still waiting for a reply to a letter I sent him 6 weeks ago !!!