Trafford Council is taking action to ensure market is Covid-safe

Trafford Council is taking action to ensure the Government’s strict Covid-safety measures are in place at Altrincham Market.

Environmental Health officers have been visiting the market to ensure that stallholders are following national rules which only allow food and related essential goods to be sold.

During the visits, a florist stall in the market was found to be trading as normal and has now been served with a prohibition notice to ensure trading only takes place in line with the regulations. The owner of the stall had been given a warning on a previous occassion.

Such stalls, those selling non-essential items, can only legally operate as part of a click and collect system and cannot open normally during this time.

Cllr Mike Freeman, Trafford Council’s Executive Member for Public Safety and Governance, said:

“Trafford Council has taken action against several businesses in the borough who are breaking the rules by opening during the lockdown – and Altrincham Market is no different. If stalls are breaking the rules, we will take action. Our officers are only doing their job and trying to make us safer."

The current lockdown is designed to reduce the spread of the virus by keeping social interaction to a minimum. For it to be effective we ask that everyone sticks to the regulations – as otherwise restrictions may need to go on even longer – and this means non-essential stalls must change the way they operate.

We recognise this is a really hard time for businesses – we do not make the rules - but we have to ensure they are complied with in a fair and consistent manner. Our environmental health team is on hand to provide help and advice for anyone unsure of the regulations.”

The rules regarding markets and the sales of essential goods are outlined on the official Government advice website.