There is "no way" Northampton Market will make it to Christmas in its temporary home on Commercial Street, according to a former trader who quit after spending all his life working there. Joe Fitzpatrick, son of long-standing trader Eamonn 'Fitzy' Fitzpatrick, added that stallholders still on the market are "at the end of their careers."
Northampton Market has been moved to Commercial Street car park for 18 months while a £6.8m redevelopment of the town's historic market square takes place. Planned new features include better lighting, an interactive fountain, and new permanent market stalls. He said: "We knew in the back of our minds that is wasn't going to work down there. It was either get out quick or stick it out and I go into debt. We lost just over £1,000 in the first week. We used to sell three boxes of coriander every two days, we sold one box in three days."
"We could have gone down to the bare minimum with just two of us working down there. But we would have been working harder than we'd ever worked just to make a wage. You're better off just getting another job and having a stress free life." Joe argued West Northamptonshire Council has "let the public down" with its decision to move the market to commercial street. "The people had their say, but it was all one sided, they were adamant it was going to happen." He added the council has "no consideration".
Councillor Daniel Lister, Cabinet Member for Economic Development, Town Centre Regeneration and Growth, said: “The temporary move of the market to Commercial Street paves the way for exciting improvements to the heart of our town centre and we are already seeing major commercial interest due to the regeneration plans.