Town meeting to talk about Long Sutton market day changes
Plans to change Friday market day in Long Sutton by closing two town centre streets are to be discussed at a public meeting next week.
Long Sutton Parish Council has called the meeting, at the town’s Baptist church in West Street on Tuesday, November 14 at 7pm, to discuss plans to close both Market Street and West Street to traffic on market days due to safety fears.
South Holland District Council was advised by its environmental services department that “the health and safety of Long Sutton’s market is not good and the risk to pedestrian and trader health and safety is high”.
Long Sutton’s three district councillors have already been consulted on the move, one of three options considered by the district council.
Alternative options were to move the market to a “safer, non-vehicle movement area” or to end on-street Friday trading in Market Place completely, according to a letter from the district council seen by the Lincolnshire Free Press.
The letter, sent to parish councillors, said: “The safe operation of Long Sutton market has been the cause of concern to the Environmental Services Department of South Holland District Council for some time.
In my personal opinion, the market is an essential part of Long Sutton life and tradition so any changes need to be given full and careful consideration
“The close proximity of moving vehicles to pedestrians, traders and customers as the market is put up, during trading hours and while stalls are dismantled being the major issue.”
If the plans go ahead, Market Place and West Street would be “barriered off to traffic on market days to create a better and safer layout for the market”.
A message on social media from district councillor Andy Tennant said: “In my personal opinion, the market is an essential part of Long Sutton life and tradition so any changes need to be given full and careful consideration.
“I do not think there are any ‘easy options’ but my initial thoughts on the road closure would include worries about the alternative route traffic would take, particularly at school times, around Bull Lane and Swapcote Lane.
“In addition, the effect on businesses in the town and, less importantly, would this effectively kill the atmosphere of market day in Long Sutton?”
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