By Freya Gerrard
Traders at Leicester Market claim that they are currently taking up to a third less in profits and have lost regular customers since their stalls have been temporarily relocated to Green Dragon Square.
The traders were moved while the historic Leicester Market undergoes major refurbishments that will consist of 48 new stalls and 10 container units all underneath a new weatherproof canopy.
The council has said it hopes to have finished this work before Christmas this year.
One fruit and veg trader who did not want to be named, said: “We’ve probably took a third less than what we did around the other side and this makeshift thing wasn’t really publicised and no one really knew we were here.”
Another trader, who also did not want to be named, said: “We’ve had businesses that are opening up down the street that are now selling fruit and veg so if you can get it down there you aren’t going to walk up here so that’s definitely impacted us.
“We’ve just got to think positively though and hopefully once it’s all done and we’re back down there, business will improve.”
The city market has run for more than 700 years. The council proposals for the new site includes three new zones including a cafe, a covered market which will hold the stalls and an area with 16 lockable ‘pods’ for traders.
