“Unregulated” market traders face littering clampdown

Stallholders at Bridgnorth's “unregulated” Saturday market have been told to clean up or they could face enforcement after the issue of rubbish left on a Sunday morning was raised at a town council meeting.

Bridgnorth holds two markets in its town centre each week on a Friday under the Town Hall and a Saturday market in the high street.

The Town Council said that while it is responsible for the Friday market where traders have to clear up after themselves or risk losing their pitch, the Saturday market is “unregulated” and pitches are owned and controlled by various businesses and parties.

However, stallholders on a Saturday have been leaving empty boxes on the high street following the market, which has led to complaints.

Bridgnorth Town Council said work is now being undertaken to clampdown on those traders that do not remove their own rubbish.

In a statement, the town council said it had debated the issue of litter left on the Sunday morning in a meeting this month.

“The issue was related to empty boxes left by some traders at the close of market business on a Saturday by the rubbish bins," the town council said.

It added that the Bridgnorth Future Partnership – a working group including members of the town council, Shropshire Council and other partners was attempting to address the problem.

“The unregulated element of the market is one of the issues that has dominated the the discussions and work of the Partnership for several months," the town council explained. “Work to identify the high street businesses and/or legal owners of the pitches has begun as well as talks with the highways department and enforcement within Shropshire Council.”

It said that the issue was being “handled with sensitivity and care” and while the town council had no plans to “interfere with trading or traders” it added: “At the end of each market trading day we all want the same thing – for the high street to look presentable to both residents and visitors.”