YORK'S Newgate Market is floundering due to the incompetent bureaucracy of its council administrators, a prominent former trader has claimed.

Brian Card, who was a bookseller on the market for 12 years, said that the council's refusal to listen to traders suggestions, and engage with the idea of a private operator, has prevented the market from flourishing as it should and denied local people it's economic benefits.

"Something needs to be done. Newgate Market is such a vital asset to the city, and yet it has been mis-managed terribly for more than 25 years. The taxpayers should be experiencing the benefit of a thriving city market, yet they are not."

Mr. Card, a former committee member and latterly secretary of the local branch of the National Market Traders Federation, thinks that the council's market administrators' lack commercial experience.

"The market should be handed over to a private operator, the sooner the better for market traders.

  • See today's The Press for further details