Stockport Market in Decline Under Labour

by paulankers on 6 April, 2017

A year after the new Labour administration ‘saved’ Stockport Market, Council figures show the market is in serious decline.

A report to the Council’s Scrutiny Co-Ordination Committee forecasts a fall in visitors by 9% over the last financial year.

The Labour group squashed a consultation into the market’s future, but have show no sign of a vision to revive the market. Instead, they seem to be managing its decline.

Paul Ankers said, “These figures are alarming. I am fond of the market, but other markets in Manchester & Gorton have been revitalized. The last LibDem administration had a plan but this Labour lot are just glad to be in charge but have no vision for Stockport.”be

   7 Comments

7 Responses

  1. Lesley Lowe says:

    This is a disgraceful and dishonest attack. You lost a council seat because of your appalling treatment of market traders and everyone knows it. Aside from anything else it’s a clear piece of cheap, nasty electioneering for the vacant council seat before the much loved and respected local councillor’s funeral has even taken place. Shame on you. Just when I think you can stoop no lower you surpass yourselves, every time.

    • jontwigge says:

      Hi Lesley,

      thank you for your comment. I can only assure you that the intention of Paul’s post was not as you have construed it and I am sorry that you took it this way, it was intended as comment on an issue that is important to everyone across Stockport. Our blog is aimed at residents of Hazel Grove and I would presume that very few people outside of Hazel Grove would receive it so I cannot see how it could be aimed at an election in another ward.

      As a new councillor from only last May I didn’t know Maureen well but I hear from my colleagues that she was a respected and well-loved councillor and will be sadly missed.

      Paul is passionate about local services and the market. In fact, a year ago he posted a story here referring people to a council survey about the market: http://hazelgrove.focusteam.org.uk/2016/03/15/contribute-to-stockport-market-survey/#page-content.

      • Syd Lockwood says:

        Labour had nothing to do with saving the market, that was down to the people of Stockport. All the parties want rid of it for some reason and this party almost sold it out to big businesses so try to be honest for once and tell the truth.

  2. paulankers says:

    Lesley, this has nothing to do with Maureen Rowles. She was a Councillor in Brinnington and this is a blog focused on Hazel Grove ward.
    The attack, for it is an attack, is not dishonest. Labour took the Council partly over this issue and have left a policy vacuum. Other markets, like Gorton, Bury, & Manchester get revamped & thrive but nothing is forthcoming for Stockport.
    Where do you think footfall drops of 9% in a year is going to take us?
    This needs addressing quickly.

    • Phil says:

      Paul Ankers, you are a typical hypocrital LibDem and collectively you all mismanaged Stockport for 18 years and you were hell bent on kicking out the 36 market traders from the market hall; as you all know this is why you lost control of Stockport. The people of Stockport voted to keep it. Stop whinging and scoring cheap political points.
      Stockport Market is the oldest market in England still on its original site – why not support it for once?

  3. Lesley Lowe says:

    This is absolute nonsense and you know it. The market isn’t in Hazel Grove, it’s in a different constituency entirely and is is in the Brinnington and Central ward, which Maureen represented, as you know very well. You’ve published it here to try and pretend it’s not electioneering.

    Crass, insensitive and insulting to Hazel Grove and Stockport residents and to the family in question.

    Let’s remind everyone that your time in charge you managed to alienate the market traders so much that they voted out your group leader at the last local election.

    I won’t comment further here as, unlike you, I have respect for the family.

    Sort yourselves out, your reputation is in the gutter.

    • jontwigge says:

      I am a Councillor representing Hazel Grove, Paul is our candidate for Hazel Grove in 2018. Therefore, we post stories here that are of relevance to Hazel Grove.

Leave a Reply to jontwigge

You can use these tags: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <s> <strike> <strong>