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Cambridge market trader challenges city council to prove demountable stall claim




A Cambridge market trader has challenged the city council to take down and rebuild the existing market stalls after the local authority claimed they were “demountable”.

Tom Wells, 19, who runs a watch repair and jewellery business on Cambridge market, was responding to a “frequently asked questions” report about the council’s civic quarter plans that was published last week.

Glenys Self, far right, with other stallholders and their campaign posters on Cambridge market. Picture: Keith Heppell
Glenys Self, far right, with other stallholders and their campaign posters on Cambridge market. Picture: Keith Heppell

Fellow market trader Glenys Self pointed out that the Eiffel Tower could be considered “demountable” too.

The council report said: “We know that some traders have concerns about the use of demountable stalls, but the current market already uses a demountable stall structure – they are just never taken down. As we move forward with the design work, we will work with markets experts and Cambridge market traders to identify suitable new stalls - permanent and demountable - that would be sturdy enough for all weather and would work for traders, using designs that have been stress tested by market traders in other places.”

Under the civic quarter proposals, which also includes plans to improve the Guildhall and the Corn Exchange, the council envisages the number of permanent stalls reducing to 27, which would sit beneath a lightweight canopy over half the square, while 64 demountable stalls would provide “additional trading” space at weekends and during busier months.

Traders have raised concerns about the suitability of gazebo-style stalls to withstand weather conditions on the market and have asked who will be expected to erect the stalls and take them down and how 64 stalls could be dismantled and re-erected on nights when the square was used for entertainment without impacting opening hours.

Glenys Self, far right, with other stallholders and their campaign posters on Cambridge market. Picture: Keith Heppell
Glenys Self, far right, with other stallholders and their campaign posters on Cambridge market. Picture: Keith Heppell

Mr Wells said: “The market may be held together by bolts, but it's been here since the 70s. I would like to see the council come down as a team and try and take one of these stalls apart. I think that'd be quite a good show.

“If the current market stalls are truly demountable then we don’t need to replace them, do we? The council is welcome to come and take down half of the market’s stalls, if they are demountable like they claim. Let’s see how long it takes them to do that and put them up again, because that is what they are talking about doing when they have entertainment on the square. I doubt they'll be able to do one stall within that time frame.

“It feels like no one is actually listening to use when we talk about the practicalities of the council’s plans.”

Under the civic quarter plans, the market square would also be resurfaced to improve accessibility. The whole market project is expected to cost £12.6m, but to date the council has only proposed to invest £3m on resurfacing.

The council FAQ report explained: “Our ambition is to create a flexible civic space in front of the Guildhall, which we think can be achieved by providing 27 ‘permanent’ stalls, under a new lightweight canopy which is proposed to cover approximately half of the market, providing storage for permanent traders and offering covered seating for the general public. These permanent stalls would be in use from Monday to Sunday, every week. Outside of the canopied area would be a further 64 ‘demountable’ stalls that can contract or expand in accordance with demand, meaning that this half of the market square would be available for additional trading during busier days and months, or to provide flexible space for occasional events.”

The market square in Cambridge. Picture: Keith Heppell
The market square in Cambridge. Picture: Keith Heppell

Ms Self said: “If the council is going to run evening entertainment on the market square, they will have to take down 64 stalls on Friday night, then put them up again Saturday morning and do the same on Saturday night and Sunday morning. How can they do this on time without losing trading time on the market? Who will take them down and put them up? And if they claim the stalls will be just like the ones we have - because they have said they are demountable - have they tested how long this will take?

“They also said in their responses that the stalls would be tested by other markets, not on ours. How will we know they can stand up to the weather? If they will be gazebo-style, as we expect, they will be too flimsy and at risk of blowing away.

“I’d like to point out that the Eiffel Tower and the Mathematical Bridge could be demountable as they are held together with screws, but no one does try to take them down because that would be ridiculous.”



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