IT is about time Bury Council got its act together and sorted out this utter debacle surrounding Radcliffe Market.

No incentives whatsoever have been forwarded to attract stallholders, which is an absolute travesty.

Stop messing about and put the remaining stallholders in the picture and give them the support they so badly need and deserve.

Oh how Bury Council trumpeted about the £1 million spent on the “refurbishment”.

I can recall there was a Burton’s shop in Radcliffe many years ago, and I would have gladly volunteered to bare my posterior in said window if this amount has been spent.

Show us the bills! Freedom of Information and all that, and if I’m wrong I’ll gladly carry out my threat in the window of the shop that now occupies that very site.

However, to move on positively, why not offer traders a three-month, rent-free period, followed by six months at half rent and the remaining portion of the 12 months at three quarter rent?

Obviously this would need policing to ensure a good balance was achieved, but whatever happens, don’t entrust this task to the town hall.

The other glaring issue is one of financing this, but this is easily overcome by utilising part of the revenue obtained from the thievery of parking charges, but an even greater example of parasitic theft are the bus lane camera cars.

I would love to spray them with slurry, and seek applications from co-operative farmers.

But to return to sanity, get your act in gear Bury Council and stop messing with honest traders’ livelihoods and our once magnificent market.

And how about a public apology from Bury Council for failing to give our market the best chance possible since it was “transformed”.

Peter Cooke

Hollins Lane

Bury