when the first Liberal Democrat arranged event took place on the bottom half of the Market Square, recently cleared of market traders by Lib-Dem plans to revamp the Marketplace.
Some fruit and veg. traders were near to tears; we had stocked up for a busy Easter Saturday, usually a good day in the trade, and we found we had very few customers.
Only one trader said he was pleased to see the event, but admitted that it wasn't doing his business any good.
There is no doubt that the music was far too loud, and that no thought had been given to the fact that there was a market involving buyers and sellers taking place not far away.
Several prominent Liberal Democrat Cabinet members could be seen swanning about amid the din, preening themselves like turkeys who are as yet unaware of Christmas. All trying to tell anyone who would listen what a fine success the event was.
If it is the purpose of the Liberal Democrats to cram all of the market traders into the top half of the Market Square while events are held in the bottom half which further rob them of trade, then by these Liberal Democrat standards Saturday's event was an unqualified success.
If they held an event like this every week the market would not last a year. It is some relief that they do not have unlimited access to public money, and an even greater relief that in two years time they will be voted out of office.
Chronicle & Echo, 17/04/2009.
