Traders in plea to run Darlaston market

Traders at under-threat Darlaston market are offering to take over the running of stalls themselves in a bid to save it from the axe, it has been claimed.

Walsall Council is closing the long-established market in April to save £60,000.

Stallholders are asking the council to let them have street licences allowing them to trade in King Street and High Street.

They also say they would be prepared to set up their own stalls and clean up the area afterwards to help cut cost.

An embargo on street licences in King Street is currently in force but traders are asking council chiefs to lift it.

Robert Cooper, of Coopers Family Butchers, which has traded at Darlaston market for more than 20 years, said: "Traders have said they would be willing to sort out their own stalls and are quite willing to help themselves."

Councillor Bill Madeley, representative for Bentley and Darlaston, has written to council chief executive Paul Sheehan proposing a plan of action which could keep the market at the heart of Darlaston.

Councillor Adrian Andrew, deputy leader of Walsall Council, said the market was currently "financially unviable".

"All parts of the public sector are under pressure because of the economic mess we are in," he said.