A furious former town councillor has launched a petition to keep the town's weekly outdoor market in its current format.

Alsager Nub News told last week https://alsager.nub.news/news/local-news/alsagers-weekly-market-set-to-take-on-a-new-look-as-part-of-cost-cutting-measures-167079 how the town council was stopping funding for the event. 

Alsager Town Council agreed not to replace outdated gazebos and anchor points used by trader for the market in Fairview car park.

Now Sue Helliwell says it's simply not good enough - and has launched a petition to keep the outdoor market in its current format.

"Some Alsager town councillors voted to cease financially supporting the market in March" - Sue Helliwell (above)

She has launched the "Save Alsager Wednesday Outdoor Market" petition and has already got nearly 200 signatures and is appealing for more residents to back it.

"No one has spoken to the market traders about any other plans regarding the Civic and the costings for the gazebos and anchors can be purchased through CIL money (developers money) if residents agree through a consultation," said Sue.

"Some Alsager town councillors voted to cease financially supporting the market in March. How are Town Councillors now saying they have the financial support for the Civic?

"There will be extra hours for staff that will be needed to paid. Good manners would have been to speak to the market traders to hear their view and understand they wish to trade outdoors.

"Please sign the petition to support the market traders and to keep our market at Fairview car park," she said.  

But Alsager Town Council say it's taken the move to save money and keep council tax for residents as low as possible.

Chair of the town council, Cllr Phil Williams said: ""At its meeting on 10th January, Alsager Town Council resolved to cease the provision of market stalls and gazebos on the Wednesday Market but to allow traders the ability to trade from their vans, and to investigate alternatives for those who trade from stalls.

"This is to be implemented by 31st March 2023. As a result, the town council has absorbed the management administration within the budget and withdrawn the proposed financial support for replacement gazebos and anchor points. 

Chair of Alsager Town Council, Cllr Phil Williams in Fairview car park.

"A total capital saving of £17,000 has been made. 

"We do want the market to continue but it was clearly not cost-effective to run it in its current form. The council is talking to traders in order to develop an alternative."

But stall holders aren't happy about the decision or the prospect of taking the market inside Alsager Civic.

Arthur Harding, a member of the Stroke Survivors Speech and Language group who have a stall at the market said: "We raise our funds from this and also we have a lot of people just coming up to us for a chat. Many of these people are suffering from social isolation.

"Running it from inside the Civic has its issues as you have to make the effort to go in there whereas the open market is visible to all walking around the car park. This is very much the wrong decision," added Arthur, chair of Alsager Partnership.

"We know it's a small gathering of traders but they are GOOD traders," said a spokesperson from another trader, Clem's Traditional Greengrocers.

"We've barely done a year there but already we've grown to love your town and would love to continue attending the Wednesday Market."

 The outdoor market petition can be signed here: https://www.change.org/p/save-alsager-wednesday-outdoor-market?source_location=topic_page