From Phil Booth
Tuesday, 13 October 2009

When will traders realise that customers like to "choose" where they dine or purchase goods from, and dislike being manipulated into certain areas run by the local business mafia.

"certain indentifiable shops/cafes would, regardless of what actually occured, claim that their business had been hit by the close proximity of market traders" (quote from Big Green Market - Jason Elliot. )

If the local traders had the slightest bit of business sense, they would realise that any addition to the town would add variety and interest, and that people would return, and promote the town and all it's business by word of mouth, an upward spiral.

Instead they moan about close proximities. Oh dear, don't we like the competition? Are we all cocooned in our little comfort zones then.

I hear local traders object to a board advertising the market and on some occasions they have actually got the council to remove such advertising.

I also hear people who eventualy discover the market saying they have been visiting Hebden for several years and never knew there was a market.

This is disgusting. I thought the people of Hebden Bridge were a lot more open and friendly than this. Perhaps it's just the traders eh.

From Graham Barker
Thursday, 15 October 2009

I've just read in today's Courier, in a report about the crumbling state of the Borough Market, that 'moving Hebden Bridge Market to Lees Yard could cost up to £750,000'.

Does anyone know how it's possible to arrive at anywhere near three-quarters of a million quid to move a few trestle stalls a hundred yards? If any of our councillors know, could they tell us? And if they don't know, could they please demand to be told - or is this just another big fat figure plucked out of thin air by council officers that we'll all be expected to swallow?

Until today I had no strong feelings for or against Hebden Bridge market. I could easily live without it, and from talking to some of the traders I doubt they'd miss it much either. I don't know how much they pay, but if moving the market is going to cost more than about six months' total rent, common sense would suggest that it's better either to leave it where it is, or wind it up.