02 Mar 2023
They’ve been mothballed since the start of the Covid pandemic, but now any hopes of a phoenix-like resurrection by the Charter Market’s traditional stalls may have been quashed by the decision to melt them down for scrap metal.
Even though the debut of 80 promised replacement stalls has been indefinitely postponed due to pressure on council finances, SADC is pressing ahead with plans to dump the existing provision in the near future.
In documents seen by the St Albans Times, a council officer with responsibility for the Charter Market confirmed that the old traditional stalls would be disposed of before a sample of the replacements had been tested.
He also claimed the old traditional stalls were not safe as they required operatives to stand on the ‘table’ element to erect the stalls due to their height, but this was not necessary with the lower height of the replacements.
Finally, he stated that the proposed new stalls would fit on two trailers so could easily be stored off site so there was no need for the existing depot.
In a separate statement by Chris Traill, SADC strategic director for community and place, she said: “The council undertook a tender exercise in September to find a supplier to run our market on the traditional basis with built stalls. One proposal was put forward but that was not considered to be viable.
“In view of the council’s budget position this year, and the lack of interest from suppliers to our tender, we have paused those plans, and instead put in place a gazebo loan scheme for traders.
“The old market stalls are no longer serviceable and beyond refurbishment.”
Former Mayor of St Albans Cllr Frances Leonard, told the Times: “I am disappointed at the decision to carry on with disposing of the old stalls, although these stalls were replaced not that long ago. My understanding was that these stalls wouldn’t go until 80 replacement stalls had been sourced.
“As for standing on the tables for erecting the stalls, this would seem to be fairly standard practice when necessary.
“The health and safety risks associated with this practice could be managed with risk assessments, work instructions and training. This can’t be said of borrowed gazebos which cannot be erected by one person and is actually quite a challenge for two people, as I witnessed one recent Saturday morning.
“Heavy weights will need to be manhandled by individuals, some of whom may find this a challenge, the health and safety risk has thus been transferred.”
The death knell for St Albans Charter Market’s traditional stalls was actually sounded last summer, yet lost amidst the celebratory cries marking the apparent approval of a hybrid market.
At a meeting of the regeneration and business committee on June 21, it was resolved that officers “formally commence with the best value disposal of surplus market equipment including the old stalls”.
A statement issued at the time said the existing equipment – including three old tugs – would be sold off, possibly by auction, to raise funds for the new replacement stalls.
SADC is still pressing ahead with the disposal of the originals – with no confirmation of where any funds will be allocated – despite the lack of replacements, meaning no traditional stalls will be available going forwards.
A council spokesperson said: “We are not intending to use the old stalls, as they are no longer fit for purpose. “The existing stalls have manual handling and working at height issues which the council aims to address with new equipment. They are space reliant, inefficient to install, expensive to move.
“Many traders object to the darkened light and colour saturation from heavy canopies.”
The existing stalls were refurbished thanks to a loan from central government back in 2017/2018, with a view to securing their future for another 40 years, but despite a report in November 2021 warning that they were deteriorating from being left to the elements in the market depot, no action was taken to preserve them.
The SADC spokesperson explained: “The primary issue with the old stall equipment is that they are heavily customised in terms of weight, dimensions, and multiple extension bars.
“This created manual handling, health and safety and working at height issues and inflates the cost of putting them up.
“We have also been unable to source any contractors willing to assess to erect and use. The National Market Traders Federation was unable to provide an example of another operator with a comparable way of putting up the market.”
Questions have also been asked about the storage of any new stalls, as there have been no prototypes supplied and so no testing of how they would function in practice.
The spokesperson added: “Suppliers confirmed that the new stalls, covers and weights would fit on three trailers. However, as we do not intend to purchase weights it is anticipated that stalls and covers will fit and be stored on two trailers.
“The stalls and covers are of a design that allows the covers to be put onto the stalls from ground level and were a recommendation from the stall supplier based on equipment supplied to other markets.
“In addition, we undertook benchmarks of other markets’ stalls where stalls are stored on one trailer and the covers fitted from ground level with no need for operatives to stand on tables or ladders. It is important for the council to consider continued efficiencies on how best to support our market and traders.”
Redevelopment of the market depot where the stalls have been stored is key to SADC’s plan to redevelop Fleetville Community Centre – but both schemes were recently placed on hold.
