IT’S been a tough few years for the traders at Huddersfield Open Market.
They have faced rent rises, increased competition from eBay and pound shops plus the threat of the re-siting of Tesco which many feel is a key element in attracting trade to that end of town.
Now, in what surely signals an acceptance that trade at the outdoor market has slowed down, Kirklees Council has agreed to another revamp.
This time the plan is to close the stalls which stand out in the open area in Brook Street and to concentrate trade in the section of the market covered by the Victorian canopy.
Some say there is insufficient parking around the open market to attract shoppers, others feel that the whole area simply looks tired.
Perhaps we have to accept that times change and markets are merely feeling the pinch of more competition.
That said, anything the council can do to promote the market and to make it feel more welcoming has to be supported.
