FURIOUS traders have claimed that potential stallholders are being turned away from Radcliffe Market.

Businesses on the market – which has suffered a severe decline two years after a £1 million refurbishment – have accused Bury Council of leaving them in the dark over its future and discouraging new traders from setting up in recent weeks.

The council is currently considering a plan from Castlefield Events, which runs Farrars Café, to take over management of the market and it is claimed that potential stallholders have been told that no unoccupied stalls are being allocated in the meantime.

Cllr Rishi Shori, leader of Bury Council, confirmed that new stalls were not been admitted while negotiations over the struggling market's future continue, as any new management would want an element of control over which new businesses are welcomed in.

One potential stallholder, who wanted to set up a greeting cards and gifts stall at the market in the run-up to Christmas, said: "We were told by the council that they couldn't allocate any new stalls while this business proposal is being considered.

"I have been trying to get set up for about six weeks and I am not the only one.

"This time of year, in the run up to Christmas, would be the perfect time to let people in but traders are being turned away.

"We even offered to pay the full 12 weeks' rent in advance but they wouldn't let us in. They told me that they didn't want me to waste my money."

The refurbished market reopened in December 2014 with 34 stalls, but only around half of those are now filled.

Cllr Shori said: "As reported in the Radcliffe Times, the Council is currently in negotiations with a trader with a view to them taking over the management of the Market on a long term basis.

"I have been approached by one member of the public from Bury who wanted to take over a new stall for a short period of time over Christmas. Market staff will be touch to make the necessary arrangements over a potential licence agreement.

"Obviously we want a long term solution for the Market to put it in a position to benefit positively from the changes that are due to take place in centre of Radcliffe, such as the opening of the new Lidl store. As it stands the Market is not where we want it to be and so change is needed."

Stephanie Ringrose, who runs the Animels pet supplies stall with husband Brian, said: "We know there have been several potential stallholders that have been blocked from coming onto the market recently.

"The council won't tell us what is happening. We know there is a business plan but we don't know what it is. Nobody is liaising with stallholders at all.

"We have put up with the way things have been for the last few years. We kept the market going while it was being refurbished and we are trying to get people in here but it isn't working.

"We have come to the end of our tether."

Stuart Andrews is the newest stallholder in the Market Hall, running a fruit and veg stand in aid of Pimhole Community Farm, but struggled to get the council to agree to let him set up.

He said: "I don't know why I was allowed onto the market and other people haven't been. I had to wait about six weeks before they would let me in and I really had to fight for it, the council were dragging their feet."

Fellow market trader Eugene Corrigan said: "This is the public's market and what is being done to it is awful.

"We don't know what's going on, the traders are told nothing.

"This market could have been full with the people I know have wanted to set up here, but instead it is still like this."