RISING rents and diminishing numbers of traders, coupled with the knock on effect from the foot and mouth crisis could spell the end for Hereford's open market.

The annual meeting at the market last week revealed that a variety of problems are causing the market to deteriorate.

Tricia Lewis, Secretary of the National Market Traders Federation's Hereford branch resigned claiming that the market is in a disgusting state and the traders do not feel that they have adequate backing from the council.

Opinions

The meeting was attended by the federation's vice-president, Terry Meakin, who aimed to help traders express their opinions and advise them on the best way to remedy the problems.

Concerns were also raised over the foot and mouth signs that are posted around the market could be interpreted by the public that the entire market is still closed.

Chairman, Lorraine Hales said: "The signs are very misleading and a lot of potential customers are put off by them. There needs to be a lot more definition on what is open and what is closed.

"There is a collective bunch of problems including access, parking, rents and conditions of the stalls.

"We don't want to be at loggerheads with the council at all. If we are all working together as a team rather than battling against each other things should improve.

"If we can get a good working relationship with the council it is to everyone's benefit. If it is allowed to continue like this it will just go down and down. It needs a good working partnership."

Head of Environmental Health and Trading Standards, Andrew Tector said: "We are quite happy to look at the rents and all the other issues raised and to talk to the stall holders to see if there is anything we can do to resolve some of their problems."