Cambridge traders’ petition warns civic quarter plans will be ‘death of the market’

Cambridge market traders have set up a petition demanding that the city council rethink its plan to reduce the number of permanent stalls to just 27 which they say will be “the death of the market”.

They are demanding that the council build at least 54 permanent stalls, which they say is the minimum needed to accommodate the businesses that trade there at least five days a week.

And they warn that no suitable “demountable” stalls have ever been shown to work in the market and its particular wind conditions.

Glenys Self, who has a jewellery business on Cambridge market, said: “Our petition simply asks the council to reject these Civic Quarter plans for the market, as we do. We think they are not fit for purpose and will be the death of the market. We are asking the council to please save our market by increasing the permanent stall footprint to at least 54 stalls as that is the bare minimum needed by the traders on the market for at least five days a week.

“But don’t forget we are full on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays and the council has not shown us a removable stall that works.

“I note that last Saturday, during Storm Bert, I was able to trade despite the high winds and my stall did not blow away. I made excellent takings. Meanwhile, the Christmas market on Parker's Piece was forced to close due to the weather. If we had to use gazebos, I would not have been able to trade that day because it would have been unsafe.

“All the traders are united on this issue and we have already gained 200 signatures to our petition.”

The latest civic quarter proposals have been unveiled by Cambridge City Council following a public consultation about how the area could be improved. Predicted to cost £87 million in total to revamp the market, Guildhall and Corn Exchange, the plans for the market include moving two thirds of the permanent stalls on the market to create a flexible entertainment area and putting the remaining 27 stalls beneath a canopy.

Cllr Rosy Moore, executive councillor for climate action and environment, said: “There are markets across the country and across Europe that use demountable stalls on a regular basis, and the current market already has stalls that could be demounted, although we don't currently take them down. If the proposals are taken forward we would work with markets experts and Cambridge market traders to identify suitable new stalls - permanent and demountable - that would be sturdy enough for all weather, would be easier to take down than the current stalls, and would work for traders, using designs that have been stress tested by market traders in other places before a final decision is made.

“Our ambition is to create a flexible civic space in front of the Guildhall to ensure that we get the best use out of the area. On Monday’s market occupancy can be as low as 30 percent or 40 percent, so many of the stalls are not used every day. Demountable stalls would allow us to open up the space to other activities in the Market Square on days that we have less traders operating from the market.”