Newtown traders vow to quit over van ban storm
Market traders in a Mid Wales town have vowed to give up their stalls if a ban on taking their vans on to the street is imposed.
Newtown Town Council said it will enforce a "white van ban" at its weekly Tuesday street market in Broad Street and High Street.
But the idea – passed at Monday's meeting of the town council – has brought indignation from some of the traders.
The vans-off policy is being brought in by the town council as part of its plans to regenerate the market.
It also hopes that having no traffic will increase safety.
But traders at yesterday's market say it won't be worth their while to come if they can't park their vans behind their stalls.
Anne-Marie Gibbons, who runs the 3D Pictures stall, travels each week from her home in Temple Street, Llandrindod Wells.
But she said she will never bring her stall to the market again if the ban is brought in by the council.
She said: "I park my car behind my stall and simply would not be able to operate without it.
"It would add to costs having to park it in the car park, but more importantly, I would be walking over there every 10 minutes or so as all of us keep stock in our vehicles.
"I also use it as protection because in the past I have had cars colliding with the stall and damaging goods.
"If I am not allowed to keep my vehicle here I won't come again as it will not be worth it financially.
"Oswestry is much more accommodating and subsidises parking for us."
Iqbal Gavid, who has a clothes stall and travels from Tywyn on the Welsh coast each week, also vowed to boycott the town should the move come in. He added: "It is the worst market financially for me anyway.
"I do Machynlleth and Barmouth and they are far better, but if I can't keep my van here, I won't come again.
"I make maybe £200 in Newtown, take £15 fuel out of that and my stall rent and expenses and I am down to about £100 so any more hassle and it is not worth it.
"I need my van next to my stall as I keep half of my products there and also the rope and covers for when it is raining or windy.
"I can't abandon the stall for 15 minutes to go to the car park and get things, people won't wait and my stall will be left unattended. I haven't spoken to anybody who is for the plans yet."
Shaun Cleaver, 40, from Bicton Heath, Shrewsbury, runs a clothes stall at the market and said banning the vans could result in traffic chaos.
He added: "I am here from 6.30am to about 4pm every Tuesday and have my van here – like everyone else – with extra stock in.
"If I had to bring it around at the start and end of each day, both myself and the guy behind me would have to have our vans next to each other in the street and we would be packing in the road, blocking it for everyone and it can take an hour to set up and pull down the stall.
"It works as it is, but I wouldn't bother coming if it was any different."
Fellow stallholder Sue Averis, from Bankfields Lane, Kinnerley, near Oswestry, said it is safer both for her and her stall and stock to have the security of her van behind her stall.
Town mayor, Councillor Rina Clarke, said that while some traders may be against the enforcement of the rule, the shop owners on the street were in favour of the vehicles being taken away.
