Opposition grows to market plan

3:20pm Wednesday 24th October 2012 in News

Traders unite to protest against market plans in Corringham Traders unite to protest against market plans in Corringham

OPPOSITION to plans for a 30-stall outdoor market in Corringham has intensified.

More than 19 town centre businesses have voiced objections to the plans being proposed by Outdoor Market Group, a Stanford-le-Hope-based company run by Robert Wong.

A petition has been launched, posters put up in shop windows and the council’s planning department has been sent letters objecting to the application.

Shop-owners claim to have been left in the dark by OMG, with many concerned their businesses will be harmed by a market in Grover Walk.

The opposition group has also raised a number of problems with the application, in particular issues of an admin office and waste collection, with confusion existing over where it will be and therefore where and if traders will have access to toilet facilities.

There will be 24 stalls open to begin with, but the group is inviting residents to come forward with other ideas, meaning up to 30 stalls could be in operation up to six days a week.

OMG argues the market is not going into direct competition with the independent retailers.

But Vicki Seales, who runs Jokers, a 25-year-old store in St John’s Way that sells toys, gifts and general goods, disagrees.

She believes the shop could be out business by Christmas if the market opens in November, saying: “Eveything that is on the list, we actually sell in this shop.

“We have to pay rent and council tax, so we’ll be undercut by the stalls who don’t have to pay that.

“We probably won’t be here after Christmas if it goes through.” Dinesh Amin, who owns One Hour Photo and News in St John’s Way, said: “This town is very small. “It won’t bring more people here. I’m completely against it. Parking is already an issue in the town.”

Emma Keast, who has owned chic gift shop Cranberries in Grover Walk since 2007, is concerned about the plans and would like to see them trialled first: “I’m worried my customers won’t be able to park on market days. I think the town is fine the way it is.”

Comments(9)

fobbingc says...
3:33pm Wed 24 Oct 12

I think it will be good for Corringham and Stanford to have a market, why do people have to be so negative. Why don't they give it a go. Corringham needs a boost and I think it is a good idea,

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Thurrockbob says...
4:01pm Wed 24 Oct 12

fobbingc wrote:
I think it will be good for Corringham and Stanford to have a market, why do people have to be so negative. Why don't they give it a go. Corringham needs a boost and I think it is a good idea,
Me too!

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Dave_ says...
8:57pm Wed 24 Oct 12

I think that this would be better use in Stanford.

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Kelly+1 says...
11:59am Fri 26 Oct 12

Completely agree here. I have lived in Corringham all my life and the town has lost its sense of community and old fuddy duddies who can’t see new prospect being brought to the town need to get in the 21st Century. Likely to be the same people moaning about the new car park and supermarket in Stanford! Embrace new things people come on!!

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Dave_ says...
7:48am Mon 29 Oct 12

Kelly+1, by all means if you want to lose what Corringham town centre has become, turn into another Stanford. When I was growing up Stanford was a vibrant place, now look at it. The proposal for The Sandpit will just be another nail in the coffin, as there won't be the custom for another supermarket. Stanford has become take-away central, in my opinion.

There are several problems with the markey idea :
- parking : the traders will take up space in the car parks. It's bad enough now. If you go to Corringham after 10 o'clock, the car parks are practically full and the town isn't overrun with shoppers, as people who work in the town park there. Imagine this with 30 vans and or lorries. Therefore they won't get the people that they think they might to spend money.
- competition : as in the report, stalls in the market will be in direct competition with shops in the town, which will invariably force the shops to shut, as market stalls don't have the "fixed" overheads of shops. Plus if the stallholders can't get any business they'll leave and if in the meantime the shops have shut, that's those things will be gone for good.
- size : Corringham as a town isn't big enough to support another 30 businesses. The only thing needed in Corringham are clothes shops, so 2 or 3 stalls will cover that. However to get the shoppers in you need parking, as you can't rely on those purely in walking distance, just lke the current businesses don't.

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jb411 says...
1:42pm Mon 29 Oct 12

I agree, although I would like to see a market in Corringham Town Centre is far too small and the parking is limited at the best of times for a 6 day a week market and as mentioned above, the shops will gradually close and then the stallholders will move on and we'll have a town full of takeaways, betting shops and estate agents just like Kings Street in Stanford. A Saturday or Sunday only market might be a better solution.

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Tania Day says...
1:52pm Sun 4 Nov 12

Is there a petition to sign AGAINST. Pathetic idea if you ask me. No where to park, virtually impossible to get out of our driveway's during the week and w/e in Springhouse rd as it is. Try doing a weekly shop at our local supermarket and you can't because you can't park after trying all 3 parks, which you go into and then can't get out of because to many cars are trying to park.

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Tania Day says...
1:55pm Sun 4 Nov 12

I would be very interested to know how many of these people who are for this market actually live nr the Town Centre? If you did you wouldn't be too keen on it then. When it starts to affect your life getting in and out of you driveway's. Because of the amount of traffic. Nor would you enjoy the abuse you receive from drivers because you are trying to force your way out of your driveway.

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d_2da_ougle says...
11:46pm Wed 14 Nov 12

posotive and negative all good points above i agree that the number of stalls is way to much corringham is a sort of small town center however a market of say 15 stalls in my eyes id welcome, the main problem i would have is they plan to have the market open 6 days a week this plan would be fine if they had 2 market days the way grays and ockendon does and ockendon has a tesco a gregs so not all is bad i wouldn not want a market in town 6 days a week though this is not romford you know

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