A CRISIS is unfolding at Bury Market and traders say its has reached a “tipping point”.

Market traders have been pleading for reduced rents to reflect lower footfall for months.

Many say that without a discount, they cannot afford to stay in business and they fear a mass departure will lead to the market closing in a few years.

A petition calling on the council to cut its rates was signed by 96 per cent of traders last year.

But handbag trader John Theaker said Bury Council, which owns the market, is “refusing” to help.

He said: “Bury Market is the town’s biggest brand. We are the heart of the community and we’re struggling.

“All retail is struggling, but shops are renegotiating rents and other markets are reducing them to reflect the downturn. The reason why we’ve involved the press is because our council are not willing to help us during this difficult time.

“We’ve seen in other markets that failure to act and retain quality traders leads to more and more leaving and it’s too late when occupancy levels drop off.

“We are at a tipping point right now and action needs to be taken if the council wishes to keep our market as it is now.

“If the people of Bury want to save our market as they know it, we need them to get behind us and make the council listen.

“Every market day, countless of coach visitors marvel at what we have here and wish they had something like Bury Market.”

Nick Smith purchased the Lawson Sweets stall in the open market five years ago.

In that time, he has seen a year-on-year reduction in footfall and spend.

He said: “Many traders are very worried about how long they can carry on struggling to make a living wage and feel it is now at a tipping point.

“Talks in late summer of 2019 requesting a rent reduction as a matter of urgency were denied. The council wanting to focus on bringing people back to the market. Six months on and nothing has happened. Trade is even worse as predicted and morale is at its lowest ebb. Is this a managed decline?”

Jaz Singh, who runs a clothing stall in George Block, believes that the council needs to look at free or discounted car parking schemes so that customers are not “clock-watching” during their visits.

He wants the market to be promoted, not just as a destination for coach trippers who treat it as a “novelty” and do not spend much money, and attract younger people to shop locally.

Together with other traders, he raised these issues with the council at a “crisis meeting” last summer.

He said: “Nobody has listened to the concerns of traders. No action has been taken to address the concerns. We have already lost Bury FC, do they want to lose the market as well?”

Tony Chadwick who works at the iconic black pudding stall agrees that the market is in danger with many traders under threat of closure.

He said: “I think it’s at that point. I can see them cutting half of it really easily and the other part won’t survive with only 100 stalls.”

Jan has been shopping at Bury Market for 40 years and visits three times a week.

She said: “It’s a damn shame. All these traders work hard and they keep their prices at the best they can.

“I could cry for them all. Somebody’s got to help these people. They are all good people and they’re trying their best.”

Cllr Jane Black, cabinet member for corporate affairs and HR, said: “Our communities plus people from far and wide love Bury Market which is an integral part of Bury and our 2020 Greater Manchester Town of Culture status. We want to work with all our market traders to ensure that it stays this way.

“Our famous market continues to buck the regional and national position with excellent occupancy rates of 93 per cent and record numbers of coach visits every year.

“To help support traders during what is a difficult time for the retail industry everywhere, we are continuing with a rents freeze for the third year in a row.

“We are looking to the future to ensure Bury Market continues to thrive and a task group has been formed to look at all the options for achieving this.

"Members of the task group are working collectively to recommend short and longer term solutions that will be considered at a future Cabinet meeting. These recommendations will form a strategy for sustaining Bury Market to ensure it stays at the heart of the town’s retail experience for many years to come.

“The plan over the next four years is to implement a £1.4m programme of modernisation and improvement works that will see the creation of an even more vibrant market for traders and customers alike.

“Bury Market is a major asset for our borough. It underpins the success of Bury town centre which is the third most successful in Greater Manchester. The market has won numerous awards and the task group is keen to work with traders to ensure it continues successfully for the next 20 years and beyond."