7:30am Monday 16th August 2010
By Emma Thomas
PLANS for an outdoor market in Southend have moved a step closer.
Southend Council is in talks with a market operator to provide a temporary open-air market on the old York Road market site.
The market closed amid health and safety fears in October last year.
Traders in York Road, who have suffered since the closure of the market last October, hope it will bring more shoppers into the area.
Southend Council announced it is looking for at least 30 stallholders, led by a single operator, to occupy the site. It has reassured residents and businesses the area would not be used as a car park.
Southend Council contractors knocked down the dilapidated Victorian market in May this year.
Nigel Holdcroft, Tory leader of Southend Council, said he hoped the future of York Road would be resolved “as soon as possible”.
He said: “I am very pleased to confirm, having asked for expressions of interest, we have entered into pre-contract negotiations with one of Europe’s most successful market operators.
“We cannot elaborate at this stage because this is a commercially sensitive issue and we don’t want to jeopardise the ongoing talks in any way.
“The council is working very hard to ensure there is a good quality market on the York Road site. As things progress, we will keep the local community informed.”
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