Council bosses across Shropshire today vowed to do all they can to help boost the fortunes of traditional markets in the county amid fears of a major decline nationally.

The vow came after a report by the Communities and Local Government Committee of MPs claimed traditional markets have been in decline due to poor planning by councils and warned that the struggle is damaging local economies.

The report – Market Failure?: Can the Traditional Market Survive? – said some continued to thrive but “the number in decline appears to be greater than the number that are more than holding their own” because of increased competition from supermarkets, cheap retail outlets and the internet.

In Shropshire some markets are said to be bucking the national trend with the market hall in Shrewsbury and the market in Wellington said to be thriving.

Cheaper

And in Oswestry the market is managing to sell items cheaper than supermarkets, which is helping to get people through its doors.

OS21, a group which is campaigning for people to shop local and for sustainable businesses in the town, said a basket of every-day food bought at Oswestry’s market came in at almost a fifth cheaper than at a supermarket when it did a price and quality test.

Councils today vowed to do what they can to ensure markets in the county do not go into decline.

Nick Taylor, assistant director for strategy and development with Shropshire Council, said it was working with Advantage West Midlands to offer a package of economic support to Ellesmere, Ludlow, Market Drayton, Oswestry and Whitchurch.

He said: “And we are about to begin work to redevelop Market Drayton Market Hall and hope that this project will be completed by the end of this year.”

Councillor Eric Carter, cabinet member for regeneration with Telford & Wrekin Council, said it was also working on ways to regenerate and support historic town centres.Ê

He said: “Key to this will be a range of measures to help make these centres more attractive in a variety of ways to support all kinds of local businesses, and markets will be an important part of this initiative.”

By John Kirk