MSP demands market site owners ‘come clean’

Sep 16 2011 by Denis Brown, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

WHILE the future of twin markets at Kinross remains up in the air, Roseanna Cunningham MSP has demanded site owners ‘come clean’ about plans.

Yesterday, the SNP member for Perthshire South and Kinross-shire told the PA that residents and traders deserved some answers from SMA Vehicle Remarketing.

“I want SMA to come clean about their plans for the site and the reasons behind the planned closure,” she said.

“Most of all, I want them to change their mind and put the closure on hold, at least until there has been an opportunity to bring everyone concerned in the issue together and have a frank and honest discussion about the future.”

Ms Cunningham – who has expressed her concerns in writing to SMA’s Bob Anderson, the Bridgend site’s managing director – said she was very concerned at shock plans to close the markets on September 25.

“I am particularly concerned at the suggestion that the reason behind the closure is complaints received from local residents whereas my understanding is that there have been no complaints about the activities at the market for a number of years,” she said.

“Indeed, the market operator's licence has only just been successfully renewed for the next three years without any objections being submitted.”

As reported in Tuesday’s edition, SMA had pulled down the shutters, not returning calls to markets manager Iqbal Choudry or responding to questions from the PA.

Mr Choudry, who manages the Saturday car boot sale and Sunday market for Scorpion GB Ltd under the auspices of SMA, had hoped to hear by last Friday if the company would delay closure till after Christmas.

He had made the request after convincing anxious and angry traders to hold off picketing SMA’s Kinross offices about the shock decision to close the 30-year-old markets on September 25 with only four weeks’ notice.

Yesterday he – or the PA – had still not heard from Bob Anderson, but is meeting with SMA Kinross manager Andy Anderson today.

“I am hoping to get an answer from him,” he said.

If SMA grant a stay of execution till after Christmas then traders can operate through their busiest period until an alternative undercover market site is found.

Mr Choudry met with Perth and Kinross Council staff on Monday, who advised that an operating licence for an alternative undercover Perthshire market site could be fast-tracked to six weeks.

Meanwhile, he has also secured a similar agreement with Fife Council for a new market site in its kingdom.

“All the traders are really mad and frustrated, they can’t believe what’s going on,” he said.

“A lot of them have stock stored in containers on site and have nowhere else to put it.

“They are really shocked – one guy has spent £5000 on stock for Christmas and if SMA close the markets at the end of next week, he’ll have nowhere to go.”

Stallholder Carol Houghton added: “Sadly, it would appear we are not going to get anywhere despite a petition of between three and four thousand people, all begging for the markets to stay.”

As revealed by the PA, SMA got traders and patrons offside when announcing the market closures by circulating flyers at the markets.

The flyer explained a decision to close followed a thorough review and factors including complaints by local residents and increased planning and operating requirements to comply with emerging regulations.

It also mentioned a decline in patronage, which supporters acknowledge while also insisting the two operations remain going concerns.

Many residents are livid about being tarnished as scapegoats and Kinross-shire Councillor Sandy Miller has urged SMA to issue a full apology.