Market re-roof could send shops to wall

SHOPS in Inverness’s Victorian Market will go bust if work to replace the building’s leaking roof starts next month, angry traders warn.

Work is scheduled to start in the next fortnight and last for six months — causing huge disruption during the busy and lucrative Christmas period.

Highland Council is spending £750,000 of Inverness Common Good Fund money to replace the dome-shaped slate roof which covers the market hall.

This will involve the erection of scaffolding, temporary site offices and the closure of a section of Academy Street.

But Mark Burnside, chairman of the Victorian Market Traders Association, said although investment in the B-listed building was welcome, the timing was all wrong and would put the livelihoods of the 42 shop proprietors at risk.

Traders want the local authority to postpone the work until January as many rely on their Christmas income to remain viable.

"Shops will close if this work goes ahead," said Mr Burnside. "It is suicidal for them to do that. The impact of having scaffolding and the work taking place over the festive season is going to mean people are not going to want to come in. The money that most retailers make in December carries them through the first few months of the new year."

The traders are seeking an urgent meeting on Monday with city provost Jimmy Gray and David Haas, the council’s Inverness city manager, to press their case. Mr Burnside said there had been a lack of consultation from officials.

"We only found out on Tuesday. Having chased the council for months to get information, we find out it is going to start in the next 10 days."

Malcolm Morrison, of William Morrison Jewellery, said scaffolding would be erected right outside his family-owned shop and claimed the works would "completely destroy" his festive trade.

"The market already has lower numbers with young people going to the Eastgate," he said. "We buy in a lot of stock for December and it’s our busiest time but this would totally crush us."

Provost Gray signalled he was prepared to meet traders but warned it would be difficult to reschedule the works because the contract for the job with specialist contractors had already been signed.

See Friday's Inverness Courier for the full story.