A CAMPAIGN to move York’s market back to its original Parliament Street home is gathering pace as stallholders collect signatures from residents in support of the shift.

As the downturn hits trade, the city faces losing its market completely within two years if City of York Council does not agree to the relocation, say stallholders in Newgate.

Traders have rejected the council’s latest bid to improve trade, which would see stallholders paying reduced rent for a week, with an invitation to slash their prices to customers by 50 per cent for a “happy hour” each day.

Market trader Simon Baynes described the council suggestion as “absolute rubbish”.

“It’s the worst idea since Chamberlain signed the peace treaty with Hitler – it’s nonsense.”

Dubbed Love Your Market month, the council’s campaign will run in February in a bid to try to entice more traders and shoppers.

Darren Lovatt, the council’s senior markets officer, said: “Many people don’t venture into Newgate Market because they don’t know what’s available here.

“We hope that the month-long campaign will encourage more new traders to set up stalls with us, to offer new and occasional shoppers even more to inspire them to become market regulars.”

Mr Baynes is the fourth generation of his family to run a fruit and veg stall in the market but said he expects not to be there in two years time unless the whole operation is moved to Parliament Street.

His petition has now collected nearly 500 signatures from York residents.

“All the traders want to be back there too,” he said.

“It’s mostly for the footfall because you have more people walk through Parliament Street.

“It’s made for a market. We are in a shoebox at the moment and people don’t know we are here.

“The council has an opportunity now to establish a market for future generations.”

Mr Baynes argued that events such as the foreign markets and funfairs, which are currently hosted in Parliament Street, could be held in the vacant Newgate square.

He warned: “We aren’t messing about here – it’s do or die.”

A spokeswoman for City of York Council said that it was unaware of the petition but did not rule out a move to Parliament Street.

“The regular market is seen as a valuable asset to the city, both in terms of the income and sthe ervice it provides,” she said.

“The market’s future, with regard to its success and site, features prominently in the City Centre Area Action Plan and it is this document, recently consulted upon, that will shape the market’s look and location for the next 20 years.

“The market, whether redeveloped in Newgate itself or moved to Parliament Street, is seen as key in the future development of the city centre as a whole.”