Contractors bid to finish market work

A string of contractors are bidding to resume work on the £600,000 revamp of Market Drayton Market Hall, it emerged today.

Shropshire Council has received a number of bids from firms offering to complete the project left unfinished when original contractor Frank Galliers Ltd hit financial trouble earlier this year.

The hall, just off Cheshire Street, has been fenced off since work began at the turn of the year with traders housed in a temporary site on Cheshire Street.

Today Simon Alton, Shropshire Council spokesman, said: "The closing date for tenders was on Friday. We are now considering the tenders and hope to appoint a new contractor later this month."

David Minnery, Shropshire Council member for Market Drayton West, today welcomed the news.

He said: "It's good to hear progress is being made.

"I was aware that this process to find a new contractor was going on and that they've been trying for about three months now.

"I've been getting impatient with it so it's about time there was some movement.

"It has been a long time that traders have been in the temporary accommodation and they are coping in there. But as the weather gets warmer it could become intolerable in there for them, so this is good news."