Markets row is 'mindless criticism'

TRADITIONAL traders have been pushed out of the 'soulless' Markets, according to Deputy Dave Jones. He said the introduction of more UK stores was avoiding the question of what had happened to the original traders – but Brett Allen, director of Markets developer McAulay, said the comments were yet more mindless criticism.

The Housing minister said local traders had gradually been eased out and to keep calling the building a market was an insult to its vibrant and historic past.

But Mr Allen said Deputy Jones was just romanticising the past. 'Dave Jones would say we don't need more retail, let's get back to the smell of fish, donkey poo and gin – and traffic fumes in the Market Square area,' he said.

Deputy Jones said predictions he made when the building was passed to McAulay had all come true. 'I said the development would end up looking just like every other bland shopping mall in almost every English town. This has now become fact and the promises which were made to our local market traders, that they would be protected and looked after, have proved to be worthless,' he said.