THE new High Street market was officially launched on Tuesday to an enthusiastic reception by stallholders and shoppers alike.
After months of planning to move the market from its traditional Market Square location, the ribbon was finally cut by Alton Town Mayor John Smith.
The market has been operating in its new location for the past two weeks, but the official opening was conducted this week. Crowds gathered to watch the mayor cut the ceremonial ribbon, accompanied by various local dignitaries and representatives of Alton Initiatives Management who co-ordinated the move.
During his opening speech, Mr Smith said: ÒI know some of you will have some regret at moving from the Market Square, but we must change to survive.
ÒIndeed I remember similar misgivings when the animal stalls were removed and Westbrook Walk was developed. We must give the High Street market all our support and I am encouraged to see the already increased activity.
ÒI would also like to thank the stallholders from the Market Square for their service and support over the years when numbers were dropping. They have provided the backbone that has enabled the High Street Market to evolve.Ó
He finished his speech by wishing the stallholders and shoppers luck, and encouraging the buying public to, Òspend, spend, spendÓ.
And spend they did. With the market increased significantly in size, the number of shoppers also increased.
Gideon Cristofoli of Alton Initiatives Management, said: ÒWe are very pleased to see todayÕs market so busy. There are around 40 stalls here today, and it was getting to the stage in the Market Square where there were fewer than 10 stalls on some market days.
ÒConsiderably more stalls have brought with them considerably more shoppers, and there is a new vibrancy about the town today.Ò
Chris Glanfield, also of Alton Initiatives Management, said: ÒWe hope that the marketÕs new location will be of benefit to the whole town. Not just the shoppers, not just the market traders, but also to the regular shops in the town and the town as a whole.Ó
Joe Rinaldi, who runs a stall selling olives at the market, said: ÒI have been trading in the Market Square every week for the past five or six months, and I am very glad that the market has moved down to the High Street. Even with the rain last week and the week before, the turnout has been very good, and with the launch going on, the market has been very busy today.
ÒI think the main difference is that there is more room for more traders. The market has more than doubled in size, which means there is greater variety of products, which means greater interest from local customers, which means more of an atmosphere.Ó
However, not everyone in the town agrees that the marketÕs new location is better for all local business. Also present at the launch was Steve Sharman, a Market Street businessman, who represents a group of shopkeepers on Market Street who oppose the market move.
The group feels that moving the market away from the Market Square has significantly reduced the amount of pedestrian traffic on Market Street, which the group fears could seriously affect businesses in that area of the town.
Mr Sharman was present to distribute flyers to market-goers publicising the Market Street shops, and to raise the issue with the various local groups involved in moving the market.
Mr Sharman told The Herald: ÒWe are by no means against the market. We are very much for it, as long as it is in the right place.
ÒEven with the bad weather, we have noticed a significant drop in pedestrian traffic in Market Street over the last two weeks, which will badly affect all the businesses in the street. This is what made us get together and produce the flyers.
ÒYou can tell the difference just by standing in Market Street. You canÕt see or hear anyone, the place is deserted. It used to be a busy area on a Tuesday, now there is hardly anyone around.
ÒThere is nothing to encourage people over to this end of town now, and the High Street Market will suck the life blood out of all the other streets in the town.
ÒThere are some fantastic shops in Market Street, which all complement each other fairly well. The problem is getting people up here to see what we have to offer.
ÒThe market move has had massive implications, and we were never consulted. The opinions of the High Street traders where the market was moving to were taken into account, but they never asked the opinions of the traders in the area that the market was moving from. We should have had some sort of say in the matter.
ÒThe idea of the move was to benefit the whole town, but we donÕt believe that it will. It will certainly benefit traders in the High Street, but we believe that businesses in other areas of the town will suffer.
ÒMy presence at the market was fairly fruitful, in that we were able to have our say with the people who made the market move happen. Although we had to force the issue, we are now getting our voices heard.
ÒI spoke with various people including town manager Gail Grant, who gave me quite a positive reception. She said I was the first person to come and speak to her about this issue.
ÒHopefully, this will result in us being able to work together with the town council and Alton Initiatives Management towards a better solution.
ÒWhat we really need most of all though is for people to realise that the shops in the town are here all week, not just on Tuesdays.Ó