Business fears market place revamp could impact trade

North Kesteven District Council has revealed plans to pedestrianise the market square, adding planters, lighting, seating and new surfacing to attract more customer footfall using more than £1 million from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. If approved following consultation, work could start in the spring.

However, Ken and Wendy Hanslip, who run Bellissimo Boutique clothing shop, fear it will actually harm trade. Wendy said: “The proposed changes to the Market Place will make it an empty and unused space reserved for the antics of the children at the end of the school day. To reach the Market Place at present pedestrians have to take their lives in their hands dodging traffic.

“And so with no adjacent parking, the Market Place will be an anti-social vacuum.

“The proposed plans also seem to completely ignore the daily delivery of heavy and bulky items for businesses within the Market Place.

“And this, together with the noise and disruption caused by the building works will be the final nail in the coffin.”

Ken added: “If we had known this was coming we would not have renewed our lease. We are so fragile at the moment with costs going up and up. People will not cross that busy road to come to us.”

Wendy doubted that the market would return once temporarily relocated during the work and wanted to know how businesses will be compensated for disruption in terms of customer access and damage to buildings and contents by dust and debris.

Robert Daniels has just taken over the Solo Bar with business partner Roy Corder.He said the proposals seemed good at first glance, believing the loss of parking could be beneficial in the long run.

An NKDC spokesman said businesses in the Market Place were advised of the plans shortly before they were submitted for consideration and they will liaise with owners regarding access and potential disruption. The spokesman added: “The concept of changes to the market place has been included in the two masterplan exercises in recent years.”

He hoped market trade would increase with a more welcoming space to operate and vehicles removed.