Here's how WNC has spent £40k of taxpayers' money on entertainment at the temporary market in Northampton

Here's how West Northants Council (WNC) has spent £40k of taxpayers' money to attract footfall to the 'struggling' temporary market.

This newspaper submitted a freedom of information request to WNC asking how much it has spent on entertainment at the temporary market in Commercial Street car park.

Traders have been struggling at the temporary site for a year now, with one trader even forced to sell his house. As many as 10 businesses have closed but the council says eight others have started up.

In June, WNC promised to spend £150,000 on events in a bid to increase footfall at the site. However, many traders have been against these plans from the start, saying it does not work.

Here's a breakdown of WNC’s spending on entertainment at the temporary market:

Café Continental Beach Event:

Cost: £9,700

Simply the Best Events:

Workshops: Crazy Golf & Circus

Saturdays: 22/07/23 to 02/09/23

Cost: £6,600

Oddle Entertainment Agency:

Entertainment: Ninja Turtle character walkabout

Date: 09/09/23

Cost: £700

DNA Kids Cool Kids Party:

Date: 09/09/23

Cost: £287

The Creation Station Arts & Crafts workshop:

Date: 16/09/23

Cost: £600

Born to Perform Sign Language Tuition:

Date: 23/09/23

Cost: £200

ES Promotions Giant Scalextric:

Date: 30/09/23

Cost: £1,250

Ice Magic International Ltd:

Ice Skating and Curling Lane

Date: December 23

Cost: £21,000 (£3,000 sponsored by Northampton Town Centre Ltd – BID)

The Chronicle & Echo took these figures down to Commercial Street car park at around 3pm on Tuesday (January 23). Only two stalls trading at the time.

Market trader Lesley Rutherford, whose key-cutting business has been on the market since 1965, said entertainment was 'never going to bring people down here'.

He said: “We told them at the time when they had £150k that it would be a waste of money to spend it on entertainment. It’s never going to bring people down here. It’s too little too late. Same old story."

He said events such as the Scalextric, crazy golf and Ninja Turtle were a waste of time.

"WNC asked me yesterday [at a meeting] what I thought of the events, and I said, ‘don’t throw good money after bad, because that’s exactly what you’re doing. It’s a waste of taxpayers’ money. Don’t do it’. Simple as.”

WNC has confirmed to this newspaper it is committed to strictly spending the remaining £110k trying to attract footfall to the market.

Lesley continued: “The remaining 110k? They should keep it and spend it on something worthwhile because the entertainment has been pointless.

"They’re never going to give any to us in compensation because that would be an admission of defeat. They would spend a million pounds down here on entertainment rather than admit they got it wrong. They could still do it now. There’s hardly anyone to give it to. Apart from the food wagons, there’s only two real full-time traders standing, me and Hung.”

Fruit and veg trader Hung Vo, who has sold his house to keep himself going, also criticised the council’s spend on entertainment.

He said, “I wish they’d give me £21k. The ice rink didn’t help our business at all. These events, they just don’t work.

"Do these councillors ever come down to the market? I’ve never seen one of them come down. Will they ever come down here to have a look what’s going on? None of them come down here. It’s disgraceful. Two stalls. Everyone shut. No one walking past.”

Lesley went on to say that he never thought it would be as bad as it is down at Commercial Street car park.

He said, “We came down here knowing we’ll have to survive. I didn’t think it would be as bad as this. I really didn’t. People don’t walk down this far.

"I’d like to think they want my stall back on the market considering it’s been there since 1965. It’s been there a lot longer than the councillors have been councillors. I intend to go back.

"It looks fantastic at the Market Square. It’s going to be fantastic when we go back. But they don’t give a stuff about us down here, and that’s what annoys me the most. I don’t think they want us [back up Market Square]. I’ve always had that impression.”

Lesley went on to say the council has ‘gambled with his livelihood’ and that he is now in ‘lots of debt’.

He said, “Hung has had to sell his house to survive. I owe lots of money now to various people. Last January, I had savings and no debt. Now I have no savings and lots of debt. And that’s just to survive to go back up to Market Square. There’s no guarantee it’s even going to work up there either. That’s the scary thing. I’ve gambled. The council hasn’t gambled a penny. They’ve gambled my livelihood.

"We complain, but they don’t care. ‘They understand’, is what they say to me. They don’t.

“They’re in ‘constant dialogue’ with us once every two months… That’s constant dialogue? A meeting for half an hour. The meetings are pretty pointless. They’re ‘we have consulted the traders’ tick box meetings. There were three traders at the meeting yesterday. I turn up to every meeting because I care.”

Here’s how the council responded to this newspaper’s questions…

Does WNC think the £40k spent so far has been spent wisely? If so, please explain your reasons why.

WNC has funded a series of events for the local community in consultation with market traders, to encourage footfall to Commercial Street market. These events provide free activities for local residents to enjoy offering something for people of all ages. The events over the Christmas period included free use of an ice-skating rink and curling lane, delivered in partnership with Northampton BID. During this period, there was an increase in footfall of 14% on average.

Is the remaining £110k going to be spent before the Market Square reopens in Summer (August)? If so, on what? What plans are there?

The council is in the process of scoping out which future events will be delivered at the market. All events are delivered in collaboration with traders, and future ideas will be/were discussed with traders during the regular meeting on Monday, 22 January. This funding has been allocated towards delivering free community events.

Many of the traders say the entertainment WNC has put on has not helped with trade. Is the remaining £110k still strictly only for entertainment? If so, why?

Yes

If traders are telling you entertainment is not working/helping, is it wise to spend another £110k of taxpayers’ money?

This is not a question.

Given that the traders are pretty much going out of business, is WNC open to giving the main trader (the full-time traders) compensation, as per their previous requests.

The council is working with traders to offer support during the temporary relocation. Areas the council has provided support, including free rent, utilities, and facilities for traders. As well as, one-hour free parking and a free taxi to the market from the bus station and the detailed events program. We meet regularly with traders, and while we have been asked to consider paying further grants to the full-time market traders rather than supporting all traders we do not think this is right action and would not be appropriate spend of public money as we feel the best approach is to encourage footfall to the temporary market location. Investing money into events and activities provides opportunities for the wider community. The Council would like to encourage everyone to visit the market at Commercial Street Car Park to see first-hand the fresh produce and on offer.