Free rent offered to Walsall traders in Flame row

Market traders in Walsall are being offered two days' free rent as compensation for being forced to move when the Olympic Flame passes through.

But council bosses today criticised some of the stallholders, saying they were "at odds with the feel-good factor of the rest of the country".

Up to 25 pitches will have to move from around The Bridge on June 30, which is set to be one of the busiest days for years.

Traders' Association chairman Tony Larner said they should be compensated for having to move. It comes after stallholders voiced fears about losing a "substantial" amount of income by relocating.

Mr Larner said: "The rent costs between £40 and £45 a day and they would get that whether they have a stall that day or not. Some stalls around The Bridge and Park Street area will move to Lower Hall Lane.

"The vast majority are quite happy with that but we still have to sort out one or two concerns."

Councillor Adrian Andrew said stallholders had been offered the chance to relocate within the market at no charge, as well as a free week the following Saturday.

"The anticipated loss of revenue is around £1,680 while the cost to the council to remove and reinstate the affected stalls is £5,635," he said.