£4.6m market relocation delayed over supply snag

Plans to move Great Yarmouth's market stalls have hit a snag due to the supply problems that are hitting the nation.

Work started in April on building a £4.6m covered market area, yards from the current market.

Some traders had been gearing up to move to their new pitches as part of the first transitional stage.

However the moves have been delayed as contractors have experienced issues with manufacturing delays and access to materials.

They are having to look again at some elements of the building, including sourcing a new supplier for the fabrication of bespoke bifold doors.

While a solution has potentially been found, the new material for the doors will need to be trialled before ordering and this will take place in the next two weeks.

The doors then need to be fabricated and installed.

Traders have now been told they will stay put until the Christmas period is over and will relocate in the new year.

In a joint statement Carl Smith and Trevor Wainwright, leaders of the main political groups at Great Yarmouth Borough Council, said: “While exceptional progress has been made on the building of the new six-day market, we want to keep disruption for the market traders to a minimum and to ensure they can trade in a safe and secure environment with all operational facilities in place.

"The delay is regrettable but unavoidable at this stage and we are working hard to get the schedule for the completion of the project back on track for a spring date.

“We’re pleased with how the whole project is progressing and can see already how it will create a brighter, more inviting market in the heart of our historic Market Place.

"It will revitalise our town centre as a community hub and destination for the future.”

Traders have also been invited to a site visit to see the units for themselves as soon as they are complete and, in order to recognise the disruption around the moves, have been told that no rent will be chargeable for January.