Extended holiday for traders while new delay-hit outdoor market is built will cost Peterborough City Council about £40,000

About £40,000 in total is to be paid out by Peterborough City Council to traders who were told to take an extended holiday while the city’s new outdoor market is built.

The payments to six traders were started on April 1 this year when it was thought the new outdoor market in Bridge Street would be completed by the start of June.

But there have been two delays since then taking the expected completion date to the beginning of August.

The original completion date was abandoned because, the council said, the global supply chain crisis had meant delays obtaining the wood that was to be used to build 12 kiosks in Bridge Street.

Then it became apparent that the company building the kiosks would take longer than expected because of the unique design and the completion date was moved to August.

The council agreed to let traders take a paid extended holiday to ensure they were not left without an income during the construction works.

A council spokesperson said: “The total cost of payments to outside market traders is expected to be just under £40,000 from the start of April until the end of July.

"This money is being paid, as without this support we know that the traders who are moving across would not have been able to make their business survive without it.

“We value our market - our Food Hall is already performing well - and are excited about the new outdoor offering which will further transform Bridge Street into a thriving shopping destination for our city centre."

The new stalls will sell fruit and vegetables, coffee, African textiles and leather goods and video games and memorabilia.

It will complement the Food Hall offering of two butchers, a fishmonger and delicatessen.

The market has been relocated from Northminster which is being used for the construction of a nine storey block of 315 apartments.

Councillor Steve Allen, cabinet member for communities, has previously said: “We are pleased that all market stalls will be able to start trading soon.

“Bridge Street is the ideal location for the new market – as demonstrated by the Food Hall traders who have had a very successful launch since they opened.”