Wellington Indoor Market Traders Express Dismay Over Festive Closure

Vendors at an indoor market have voiced their “outraged” reaction to a decision to shut the premises from Christmas to New Year. Wellington Indoor Market, acquired by Telford and Wrekin Council in November 2023, is facing its inaugural closure during this holiday season. Roger Davies, a stallholder, characterized the decision as “disgusting”. The council stated it had surveyed traders, with most reportedly content with the alteration; however, individuals who spoke with BBC Radio Shropshire insisted they had not been consulted. Lisa Longland, who has operated her delicatessen for almost two decades, faces her first closure between Christmas and New Year. She commented, “I was gobsmacked, to be honest.” Longland questioned, “How can somebody tell me, with my own business, when I can and when I can’t open?” Lisa indicated that her “loyal customer base” was “absolutely appalled”. She explained, “They buy their food from me all year round, and then at this busy time when they’ve got their friends and family coming and they want to give them nice, local, fresh produce, they can’t.” Adjacent to Ms Longland’s stall, Roger Davies has managed Quality Cards and Flowers for over 50 years. This establishment sees particular popularity during Christmas, as customers seek cards, wrapping paper, and wreaths. Mr Davies stated that the interval between Christmas and New Year constitutes “one of [his] busiest weeks” annually, drawing “crowds of people” to his Boxing Day sale. He remarked, “It’s going to turn the whole of Wellington into a ghost town, giving our trade away to other towns in other areas.” Aidan Short of Malcolm Wickstead Butchers highlighted the significance of the Christmas to New Year period, as patrons typically acquire provisions for New Year parties. Aidan mentioned that fresh food vendors were concerned about disposing of unsold inventory. He commented, “At Christmas time we’ll have to keep stock levels lower than we would have done, and therefore won’t be able to sell as much, and may run out of things that people want.” The council asserts it surveyed traders prior to implementing the change, with 88% reportedly satisfied with the outcome. Marcus Limb and Aaron Hollyhead from the M&A Watch and Discount stall firmly disputed this account. Mr Limb stated, “The council have not consulted with us at all.” He continued, “We’ve heard on the grapevine that they have done – which is an absolute, total and utter lie. We were never asked.” Mr Hollyhead further added, “It’s not just the fact that we’re closed, it’s the fact that there’s two incomes to come out of it.” He concluded, “We’ve got families to feed, and it’s just soul-destroying, absolutely crazy.” A spokesperson for Telford and Wrekin Council informed the BBC that the Labour-run council “undertook a canvass of market traders to ensure they were happy with the proposals around the market Christmas opening times.” The spokesperson noted that “The conclusion of the canvass was that of the 42 who expressed a view, over 88% (38) were happy with the opening proposals.” They further stated: “In light of the findings, and there being such a very small number who were against them, we checked with the traders again who were happy with the proposals and their views have not changed.” The authority indicated that the operating hours align with prior years, offering extra trading days before Christmas in exchange for days between Christmas and New Year. The council concluded, “We will make no further comment on commercial negotiations with traders and we will be issuing no further comment on the day-to-day operational issues of the business going forward.”