High Peak Borough Council has come under fire from MP Robert Largan for the way it has treated Glossop market traders. 

The local MP has met with traders and heard how they have lost faith in the council over their handling of the £7 million project to transform the market halls. 

Traders had to leave the indoor market and move into the Town Hall Arcade, but now have to move again to outdoor wooden cabins, which are not suitable for many businesses.  

Under the original plans, the traders were expected to be given first refusal on returning to the market hall but now fear the rents proposed mean it will be simply unaffordable. 

MP Largan said: "Glossop market traders have been treated appallingly by the council. They’ve been subjected to years of uncertainty and constantly shifting goal-posts. Commitments have been made and not kept.

“I’ve tried to work constructively with the council on this. But when I requested a further meeting between the council, the traders and myself, I was refused. 

“Therefore, I’m having to resort to publicly calling for the council to meet with me and the traders. It’s vital that the council try and rebuild the trust of the market traders.” 

MP Robert Largan with Glossop market traders Kim, Michelle, Lyn and Suzanne

Suzanne Williamson, who runs Narnia Furniture and Homeware, said: “We have been completely let down by High Peak Borough Council. The way that myself and the other market traders have been treated is disgraceful. 

“We have had to relocate three times in two years. Now, we are now trying to run successful businesses in small, damp cabins with no certainty about our future. 

“We are really disappointed that Mr Largan’s request for a meeting with the council was refused. It means a lot to have his support, and we want to make sure the council address our concerns.” 

However, Councillor Damien Greenhalgh, Deputy Leader and Executive Councillor for Regeneration, Tourism and Leisure at HPBC, said he was disappointed with the comments as they gave an inaccurate view of the council’s efforts. 

“Far from ‘forcing’ traders out, the Council has provided significant funding and officer time to support the market and the traders,” said Cllr Greenhalgh.

He added that both officers and members had been working tirelessly to find solutions and were in weekly contact with traders to update them and to listen to their views and concerns. 

Cllr Greenhalgh said: “It is simply impossible to deliver a project of this nature without some disruption and, thanks to the £2 million additional funding we applied for and won from the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership’s Getting Building Fund, we can do so faster than original timescales indicated." 

Councillors Damien Greenhalgh (left) and Anthony Mckeown inspect the plans outside Glossop Market Hall back in November. 

The additional funding has led to changes in the original planned programme and the scale of works. 

Cllr Greenhalgh said traders have been offered cabins on the outdoor market with discretionary grant funding available. 

“To date we have allocated over £32,000 of this pot to traders including grants of up to £5,000 per business to help with cabin improvements, £3,000 for indoor traders to promote events and activities with the same amount earmarked for outdoor traders, and funding to help with rents.” 

The flagship redevelopment is seen by HPBC as being at the heart of Glossop’s post-Covid recovery.

“It will be worth the wait!" said Cllr Greenhalgh. "And, in the meantime, we will continue our conversations with, and support of, the market traders as we have done throughout.” 

The borough council has funding available to businesses taking on an empty shop unit in the borough.  

It provides up to 50 per cent off the first year's rent, capped at £5,000. If the rent amount is less than £5,000, a business can additionally apply for up to £1,000 towards moving costs or shop fittings, limited to £5,000 in total. 

HPBC say market traders​ would be eligible to access this grant funding if they felt an outdoor cabin was not appropriate. 

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