COLCHESTER’S regeneration boss says the controversial High Street market is here to stay after making a £17,000 profit in the past year.

Tim Young (Lab), portfolio holder for culture and regeneration at Colchester Council, said 33 of the 43 available pitches are regularly occupied at the High Street market which relocated from Culver Street in March 2015.

The remaining ten are available to casual users with 20 more on the waiting list.

From April 2016 to now, the market has spent £52,000 against an income of £69,000.

However, the market is still receiving mixed reviews from traders who say traffic fumes are one of the major downsides.

Mr Young insisted he wouldn’t make any changes to the market, which runs on Fridays and Saturdays.

He added: “It was a big decision to move the market back to the High Street but we have been improving, it has been growing, we are working with traders and it has worked.”

Mr Young said the market was going “from strength to strength” and complementing the nearby shops.

“I now think we are set in the right direction.”

Mr Young admitted it could offer more variety and encouraged new traders to come forward.

He added: “I think we are getting a very good reputation for the street food.

“We still have greengrocers, fishmongers, bakers and craft stands but we have seen recently a huge increase in street food.

“We have a well-known butchers due to start in the next month, I think that’s a bit of a coup.”

Mr Young said market traders felt market manager Demi Quinn had made a huge difference to the market since being in the role a year.

The council asks traders to sign a 13-week contract.

Fourteen have been at the market more than a year with one stallholder having a pitch for more than 20 years and another more than ten.

The council assigns pitches after it is satisfied traders do not sell the same type of goods as nearby shops or other stallholders. That is why there is a waiting list.

But Ron Levy, secretary of Colchester Retail Business Association, said: “The most feedback I get is from shoppers and a lot of shoppers don’t like it.

“My own feeling is it looks attractive and well organised but people are saying to me half the stalls are empty.

“A lot of shoppers don’t like it, especially when there are food stalls and buses come down the High Street and there are an awful lot of traffic fumes. It’s also not conducive to food hygiene.”

He added: “I cannot say the traders are entirely happy with the change.”

Raj Bhangul, owner of Wimpy fast food in High Street, said the market did not work in its current location and would be better near to Primark.

He added he hadn’t noticed an increase in footfall on market days.

“If you are going to have a market it should be in the centre but then it would be an issue for people needing the disabled bays.

“This High Street isn’t designed for it.”

But Suki Dulai, the chief executive of Flying Trade Group, owners of the George Hotel, said: “We take the view that all investment and all attractions on the High Street, including the historic town market, ultimately benefit the town.

“From the perspective of The George, we haven’t noticed an increase in footfall from the market, however, we have noticed a significant increase in custom as big name brands invest in the High Street, for instance the recent opening of Primark.”

The relocation faced strong opposition from market traders who collected a 10,000 name petition. Eventually traders were told they could stay on their original pitches if they wished.