MARKET traders in Selby have demanded a rent cut after seeing sales drop off as roadworks bring the town centre to a standstill.

They argue customers have deserted Selby because of the disruption caused by renaissance project work in Gowthorpe and Ousegate – and want their £16 stall rents halved for the duration of the £5 million works.

Tony Hopkinson, a textiles trader from Eggborough, sent a letter signed by all the traders to district council officials nearly three weeks ago but is yet to receive a response.

“It’s just bad manners, they’re brushing it under the carpet,” he said. “We’re not asking for a lot, just a fair deal. It’s a fact that since they’ve been doing the roadworks, people haven’t been coming in to Selby.

“We’ve spoken to some customers, and they say it takes so long to get in with the one-way system.”

Tony, who is based at the Micklegate stalls, said the situation had been even worse for those with Market Place pitches, which had all been moved to James Street while work was carried out in the Abbey Precinct.

He said: “We’re not asking for this for the whole year, just while the roadworks are done. We’re in a recession and the traders are finding it hard anyway, and now to cap it all, there are roadworks going on in town.”

He said shopkeepers he had canvassed had reported 70 to 80 per cent drops in trade. “The councillors don’t understand what they’ve got – they’ve got a town in trouble,” he added.

Council leader Mark Crane said he had asked officers to investigate ways of easing the pinch for traders. “I’ve asked officers to look at a number of measures we are considering that would benefit both shops and market traders in the town centre, and I’m waiting for officers to get back to me to see if they are workable,” he said.

“The measures I have asked to be considered would be of considerable help to traders in the town, and we’re working on a package as we speak.”

Coun Crane’s pledge comes as discontentment over the Gowthorpe roadworks continues to grow.

Jan Langstaff, proprietor of Jan’s Sewing Box, has gained nearly 2,000 signatures on a petition calling for work to be postponed or cancelled while shopkeepers deal with the recession.