As the future of a market in Leeds hangs in the balance, residents and traders in Pudsey say a “market town” should not lose one of its key assets.
Leeds City Council reported a decline in both customers and traders at Pudsey Market over the last few years, with a public consultation deadline now looming.
The market was no longer “financially viable as it currently stands” because of a combination of low stall rent and rising costs, the council said.
“It does get a bit frustrating when we are here trying to earn a living and try and make Pudsey better,” said John Palmer, who runs a bakery stall at the market.
Pudsey Market opens on Tuesday, Friday and Saturday, from 08:30-15:30 BST.
During a visit on a Tuesday afternoon, a couple hours before the market was due to shut, all but two of the traders had packed up and left for the day.
John, who runs The Drizzle King stall, said only six stalls had been trading that day in total.
“It does get us quite angry – we are trying, we do our best,” he said while looking through comments about the market on social media.
When asked if those criticising the market would miss it if it were to shut, John said: “Eventually I think they would.”
