Market traders to make way for culture

Published on Tuesday 28 October 2008 23:24

MARKET traders in central Glasgow fear they could lose their pitches for good after councillors voted for a controversial redevelopment.

The city council yesterday approved plans to revamp the Shipbank Lane area by creating a new cultural quarter.

The market, in the Bridgegate area, has been blamed for high levels of crime and is seen as having a detrimental impact on the Merchant City.

The decision was made despite traders protesting outside the city chambers.

Patsy Woodward, a market trader, said: "All we want is to be able to continue trading.

"We have for many years been urging the council to talk to us so that we can jointly make the place a more attractive area. However, our requests have been ignored.

"Instead, they have mounted a smear campaign against the traders, blaming us for crime and antisocial behaviour which is clearly nothing to do with the people that work in Shipbank Lane."