Nottingham City Council has put a stop plans to open a food market on a Sherwood road island because of safety concerns.
Sheena Holland, who also organisers Nottingham Night Market, applied to the authority for a licence to hold the weekly market on ‘Sausage Island’, off Edwards Lane.
The proposed site is opposite the Sherwood United Reformed Church, surrounded by Edwards Lane and Magnus Road.
Ms Holland applied for permission to open the market on Saturday, July 15, as part of a three-month trial, to be extended if the market was successful.
The market is planned to be held on Saturdays, featuring 20 food stalls and local farmers’ produce and craft products.
But some local residents complained to the council, saying there would be nowhere to park near the island, there is busy traffic either side of it and “glass and sometimes even needles” are found on the greenery.
The authority visited the site on Monday (July 10) and made the decision the market will not go ahead, adding the market operator is working with Highways England to look “at what needs to be done to the site to make it a safe and viable location”.
And the authority has told Ms Holland to find “alternative locations [for the market] in the interim”.
A member of the Sherwood United Reformed Church sent residents a letter about the plans last week.
It was written by Tricia Legge, 61, who lives on Winchester Street and has been a member of the church for six years.
She said: “I think it would be a very dangerous place to have a market because it’s so narrow, there’s nowhere for them [stall owners and customers] to walk off the side of Sausage Island.
“There’s no pavement there and with cars being parked up on each side. There is only one lane of traffic on either side, which is a bus route. It is a very busy road on a Saturday.”
What a gorgeous mild night for @Sheenaholland Market – yummy food, craft & Xmas gifts. On til late. #Creativequarter pic.twitter.com/zcD6pgIn9p
— Kathy Mc Ardle (@CabraKathy) December 8, 2016
Nottingham Night Market last ran on Thursday (July 6) and also appeared in December.
Mrs Legge added the island is used by dog walkers and “there’s glass quite often there and sometimes even needles” and the site is “not a very safe place to have it” [the market].
She said: “It would be very dangerous to park there and for traffic to go along and then for people to go on and off the island for the stalls.
“Because we’re opposite the island [Sausage Island] I go down that road quite often, and I know how busy and dangerous it can be.
“I know one of the ladies in the houses on the road and asked her if she had notification of this. And she said no. I said everybody on the road should know it’s happening. That’s why I did this as a resident to let everyone know what’s happening.”
In an email seen by Notts TV, which was sent to the church from Susan Elwood, indoor markets manager at the city council, the authority said when it visited the site it was approached by residents who ahd received Mrs Legge’s letter.
And in the email Ms Elwood said: “We have made the decision that Sausage Island market will not be going ahead on the stated date of July 15.
“The market operator is in discussion with Highways and looking at what needs to be done to site to make it a safe and a viable location.
“And we are looking for alternative locations in the interim.”
A Nottingham City Council spokesman said: “Plans for a market on Sausage Island in Sherwood are not feasible at the moment and the site needs further assessment.
“We will work with the market operator and consult with local residents to see if that site could be used for a market in the future whilst also considering alternative locations.”
Sheena Holland said she did not want comment until “the market has got its start date and location”.
