Market stalls affecting trade say shop owners

Market stalls affecting trade say shop owners

7 January 2015

BUSINESS owners in Downpatrick have called for a study into the impact the weekly Saturday market is having on their trade.

Shop owners at St. Patrick’s Square say the location and height of the stalls used by market traders is obscuring their businesses from view and impacting on takings on the busiest day of the week.

This week, the business owners have called on Down Council — which is responsible for the weekly market — to carry out a study on the impact the stalls are having on established shops.

Stall holders have permission to set up at St. Patrick’s Square, but business owners say the height of the stalls prevents shoppers from seeing their shops. Business owners are also concerned that pedestrian access at St. Patrick’s Square is restricted due to the layout of the market stalls.

Colman Magennis, from Down Jewellers, and Anne Hanna, from Love Irish Crafts, say they have no issue with the stall holders being located at this part of the town, but voiced concern about the height of the stalls they are using. They also suggest market traders are not staying within the area they have been designated.

Mr. Magennis said the market stalls are well over head height and that shoppers walking in the area have “no chance” of seeing any of the permanent businesses at this part of the town.

“Down Council never conducted an impact study on the affect the market stalls have on existing businesses at this part of the town and it is time such an exercise is undertaken,” he declared.

“The situation has been getting worse. There is one particular stall which is well over head height and how are people supposed to see the businesses located behind them?”

Mr. Magennis said business owners are paying “huge rents” and are entitled to what he described as a “level playing field” when it comes to trading.

“If the stalls were not as high shoppers would be able to see established businesses. This is not the case at the moment and the issue needs to be addressed,” he continued. “Being in retail is all about being seen.”

Anne Hanna said while Saturday is the busiest trading day of the week for many businesses, this is not the case for those based at St. Patrick’s Square.

“Visitors shopping in the town cannot see our businesses due to the stalls and we fear that it’s a case of out of sight of mind. We want the height of the market stalls kept to a minimum so we can be seen,” she added.

A Down Council spokeswoman said the local authority has bye-laws in place regulating markets which stipulate that no part of any roof or canopy of a stall shall be less than six feet, six inches from the ground for health and safety reasons.

She explained stall spaces are approximately 6.5m x 6m, with stall holders required to operate within the boundaries of their pitch.

“This is much easier where designated pitches are marked out, but this has not been done in Downpatrick due to perceived detrimental impact this would have on the visual amenity of this part of the town,” explained the spokeswoman.

“Traders are entitled to apply for more than one pitch which means the actual area occupied will be larger than one standard pitch. Where traders are found to be in breach of the bylaws, for example, trading illegally or trading in breach of the market conditions, then enforcement action may be taken following investigation.”