Rug man loses pitch
A MARKET trader who pleaded with councillors to save his livelihood had his appeal to stay at his city centre pitch thrown out.
John Ackers and wife Heather have sold rugs and carpets from a stall outside Marks & Spencer in Southgate Street, Gloucester, for three years.
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Southgate Street in Gloucester
But licensing officers have refused to renew his street trading licence for the pitch, saying his stall was low quality and not suitable for the thriving city centre.
On Tuesday Mr Ackers made an emotional appeal to councillors to try to get the licence granted.
He said offers of a pitch in the Eastgate Indoor Market would not suit his asthma and asked for 21 more months of trading so he could reach retirement.
Licensing officer Julie Wells told the meeting Mr Ackers' stall was not good enough for the city centre.
She said: "In no way was it our intention to put the Ackers out of business. There is a place for their stall but it is somewhere else which is not Southgate Street.
"They have been offered a place in the Indoor Market and the Cherry and White. We feel they are more suitable."
Solicitor David Mouland, speaking on behalf of Mr Ackers, said his client's stall added vibrancy to the struggling town centre.
He said: "There are nine empty shops close to him. As much as we wish it to be a vibrant centre, Gloucester is suffering. The regeneration is progressing but it is not there yet.
"The majority of the objections come from Marks & Spencer who have three sites in Gloucester and have some sort of monopoly. They should pick on someone their own size."
He said Mr Ackers' request for a 21-month licence would mean his stall would be gone by the time the Southgate Street and Kimbrose Triangle Linkages scheme was in place.
After a lengthy period of consideration, councillors upheld the decision to refuse Mr Ackers' licence and dismissed the appeal.
Licensing committee chairman Coun Nick Durrant (Lab, Moreland) said: "We urge you to work with Julie Wells to get the best deal out of relocation and get the best position possible.
"We agreed with the case put by the officer. I am sorry."
Mr Ackers left the meeting after the decision, saying say he was very disappointed.
28 Comments
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by nanny, forest
Sunday, July 05 2009, 7:29PM
“forgive me if incorrect but didnt m and s start on market stalls , i have purchassed rugs from this stall and they are excellent quality.what is the city centre going to be a place for buskers and beggers.the streets and shops are dirty and full of rubbish”
by Brian Lewis, MAy Hill
Sunday, July 05 2009, 5:00PM
“This is just what Glawster needs.
More businesses driven from the city by the good elite of the City Council.
Bri”
by sandra, Gloucester
Sunday, July 05 2009, 2:31PM
“How long is it going to be before the new revamped Southgate Street is going to be in operation then , as they refused Mr. Acker's request for a 21 month licence even though he would have gone by then ?!
Something to look forward to , that part of Southgate Street being a total mess for maybe 2 years or more ?
It makes this particular decision look even more ridiculous if that is the case as very few people will be able to walk up that street to the Cross from The Quays anyway !”
by locoman, stonehouse
Sunday, July 05 2009, 2:23PM
“If the city council think that this stall selling good quality carpets at reasonable prices does not fit in with their plan for the city centre then the 2£,1£,99p shops and all the charity shops should also go,if not it looks to me the council are just sucking up to M&S.The city council never ceases to amaze me are they living in the real world,to put this gentleman out of business on such a petty reason when if you look around the centre it is all rather tatty i just do not understand.Perhaps it is just a cunning plan to help fill eastgate market.”
by Hard Nose, RfoD
Sunday, July 05 2009, 12:56PM
“Anyone know how the yen is doing against the euro, or the names of the 2 British soldiers killed in Iraq today? No? Just wondered.”
by Glawster Girl, KIngsholm, Glaws
Sunday, July 05 2009, 9:00AM
“I cannot believe that the council would do this to someone in the present economic climate. The stall is not low quality at all, and I for one will be boycotting M&S if this is the way they treat their neighbours. I hope you finds a decent pitch in a more forward thinking city.”
by Douglas, soon to be rugless, Stairrunner to heaven
Saturday, July 04 2009, 6:30PM
“Well Gloucester City Council should be so proud of themselves, put someone out of business just because it doesn't look rght.
Well Gloucester you need to look at yourselves with those rose tinted spectacles removed.
What a state the old Woolwich BS building in Westgate St is, look at the Oxbode, nice if you like a Charity Shop, Bus Station, very attractive and welcoming.
So the Carpet Seller doesn't sell goods to the quality the Council Officer feels she deems acceptable. While try the 99p Shop, that's really going to impress the "up market" visitors into the City Centre.
Debenhams now looks like a Market Stall, sometimes no better than a Jumble Sale.
But what can we expect, the City is now being run by self important civil servants, who don't seem to be listening to the peoplle who employ them, "civil servants" now stands for "Do as I say cos I am in charge".
Let's recover our Country from these people before it's too late.
.”
by anon, gloucester
Saturday, July 04 2009, 5:25PM
“I see nothing wrong with the Ackers stall. Why should Julie Wells allow him not to trade when she obviously allows the Drinkers to drink outside the Chambers which is far more degrading for Gloucester than a man trying to earn a living selling carpets. Aswell as this I thought it was illegal to drink on the streets. The drinkers outside the Chambers are frightening when I visit Northgate Street or theCo-operative Bank. These drinkers are getting further and further out taking up more of the footpath”
by s, glos
Saturday, July 04 2009, 5:24PM
“Will the city council ever listen to what people want and not just make desisions on what they deem best for us?The problem lies with the fact that anyone who works for this council thinks of their station high above the public they are supposed to be serving!Shame on you Mr Durrant and the rest of the power hungry desision makers ,i hope this desision made you feel really important .”
by Ann Ellen, Cheltenham
Saturday, July 04 2009, 5:05PM
“Some of you have asked who on the Council is responsible for this decision The write up clearly says that the Chair oof the licencing committee is Mr Nick Durrant, Perhaps this is a starting point in the next elections. Gloucester is a mess and this kind of decision making makes it laughing stock too.”