Chesterfield council reveals when flea market will reopen after criticism from traders

The general market reopened on Monday after the Government eased coronavirus lockdown restrictions for open-air markets.

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The flea market is scheduled to reopen next Thursday – but two traders there have contacted the Derbyshire Times to question why they weren’t also able to return to work this week after more than two months.

A council chief said the authority wanted to test measures – including queuing systems – on the general market before reopening the flea market.

Luke Povey usually trades on the flea market.

He said: “A lot of flea market traders feel let down by the the council.

“They say they need to test their new protocols before reopening the flea market – but they have had ten weeks to be able to test them on the essential traders who were already standing.

“What have they been doing for the last ten weeks?

“I am a fierce supporter of Chesterfield market – I defend it and the management when I see it being talked down – so these words and this criticism does not come lightly,” added Luke, who is also a trader representative on the town’s Markets Consultative Committee.

Ed Fordham, who also trades on the flea market and is a Liberal Democrat councillor for the Brockwell ward on the council, added: “On Friday I received a phone call confirming that the Thursday flea market was cancelled and if we turned up as casual traders to fill the general market on Monday and regain lost business then we would be turned away.

“The flea market is the most successful market day.

“Traders are angry.”

Councillor Kate Sarvent, the council’s cabinet member for town centres and visitor economy, said: “Our priority is to ensure that Chesterfield town centre is as safe as possible for everyone, our staff, our market traders and the visiting public.

“In line with Government and industry guidance, we have introduced physical changes to the layout of the market to maintain safe social distancing and signage reminding people from different households to keep two metres apart and to regularly wash or gel their hands.

“It was great to welcome our regular market traders back to the town’s general market on Monday and we look forward to seeing more of our regular traders return this coming Friday and Saturday.

“The council took the decision not to run with Thursday’s popular flea market this week.

“We felt it important to first learn the lessons from the general markets in terms of queuing systems, customer journeys and social distancing pinch points.

“We plan to reopen the flea market on Thursday, June 11.”

Meanwhile, bosses at the town’s Vicar Lane Shopping Centre have said they are working hard behind the scenes to reopen more stores on June 15.

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