MARKET traders who have sold their wares week in week out for almost half a century are outraged that they have been told they must move to allow a record fair to take place.

On Friday, April 13, a number of traders at Ellesmere Port market received a Cheshire West and Chester Council letter addressed to ‘casual trader’ telling them that they would have to make way for a record fair on Saturday, April 28.

Traders have been offered alternative areas to set up, but the Lafferty family who have been selling bags at the market for 48 years say their regular customers won’t know where to find them and they will only be able to display a fraction of their stock.

The Lafferty family have been selling bags at Ellesmere Port market since 1970 - the business was established by Tony Lafferty and in recent years has been run by his son and daughter-in-law, Peter and Marie.

Tony said: “It’s unfair and it isn’t right.

“We have been here for 48 years, how dare they call us a casual trader.

“We have been here for more than forty years and they are not even treating us as second class citizens, we are third or fourth class citizens as far as they are concerned.”

“What about the people that come in on Saturday looking for the bag stall. If it’s not here they will go somewhere else. They won’t know what’s happened.”

The council has waved the traders’ rent for the day as a “courtesy”.

The letter, signed by Cheshire West and Chester Council market manager Karen Bates, reads: “The record events are extremely popular which encourages visitor and locals to attend. With this in mind our objective is to encourage events on a bi-monthly basis.

“We understand that there are stalls you attend each weekend, which in their current position will impact our event. Therefore and on the day we will offer you alternative areas for you to pitch from, to ensure you continue to trade over the weekend. As a matter of courtesy we will provide a rent free 28th April to minimise disruption to you.”

Other casual traders, a term meaning they do not occupy a permanent stall, selling toys, shoes and jewellery have also received the letter asking them to move from their regular Saturday pitches.

Marie said the posters advertising the record fair were already up before traders got the letters.

Mrs Lafferty added that she was concerned that the letter suggests there will be similar events held on a bi-monthly basis and she fears that more record fairs, and even Christmas markets, could gradually push the regular Saturday traders out.

The letter says that the “flea market” could be used for some future events but this would not always be possible.

But adds: “However, should an event occur which is limited in number of stallholders, and type of event, we may from time to time utilise the front entrance in the market.”

Lisa Harris, Director of Place Strategy, Cheshire West and Chester Council, said: “I’d like to apologise if the market traders have been inconvenienced. The record fair at Ellesmere Port Market on 28 April will attract more visitors to our popular market. We have written to casual traders to let them know about the event and ensure they are offered alternative positions in the market on this day.

“As a thank you for the inconvenience the traders have been offered a rent free day in addition to posters that will let shoppers know where traders have moved to on the day.”