Market stall move 'will kill us'

The wholesale traders were not being forced to move, the council said

Bullring traders have objected to plans to move the wholesale market out of Birmingham city centre which they say would "kill" their businesses.

Birmingham City Council said the wholesale site built in Digbeth in 1976 was "no longer fit for purpose."

It said in May it wanted to build a new market area in Witton near Aston.

Bullring curtain seller Paul Smith said transport costs could drive some stalls out of business, reducing the market's size, which could eventually kill it.

"If it moves out of the city centre they [traders] will have to buy vans to collect the produce and about 20% of them can't afford it," Mr Smith said.

"That will drive prices up and drive people out of business.".

'Buyer's nightmare'

The council said wholesale traders were not being forced to move, although they wanted better facilities.

It said it would cost more to repair the roof and underground leaks and expand the Digbeth site than it would to build a new one.

The council plans to move the market within a couple of years and has appointed developer Prupim to build a hub to increase the market's capacity by a third and create 200 new jobs.

A council spokesman said: "This will be far more accessible for everyone except the people in the city centre, which is a nightmare for buyers to get in and out of at eight in the morning to get back to their premises.

"The wholesale market serves about 4,000 businesses across the West Midlands and for the vast majority of customers a new site would be preferable."