Hedgerow Market: Independent traders market in Sheffield cancelled 'last minute' after contractors fail to close road

A traders’ market in Sheffield city centre had to be cancelled at the last minute today, leaving dozens of independent businesses out of pocket.
By Alastair Ulke
Published 9th Oct 2021, 16:45 BST
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Hedgerow Market was booked to bring a bit of hustle and bustle to Division Street between 12 noon and 6pm today (October 9).

However, organisers had to announce with less than an hour to go before opening that they could not go ahead because they were unable to close the road.

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Online, disappointed shoppers and traders turned their ire towards the city council and contractors Amey PLC over why the road had not been shut as expected.

Hedgerow Market, an independent traders' market, was cancelled at "the last minute" today after officials failed to close Division Street as expected.Hedgerow Market, an independent traders' market, was cancelled at "the last minute" today after officials failed to close Division Street as expected.
Hedgerow Market, an independent traders' market, was cancelled at "the last minute" today after officials failed to close Division Street as expected.

Sheffield City Council has since posted a statement that it had indeed approved the road closure – and it was now speaking to contractors Amey PLC about “what went wrong”.

The official Welcome to Sheffield page wrote: “Due to issues with the approved road closure, Hedgerow Market on Division St is cancelled today. We’re speaking to Amey about how this happened & what went wrong.

"We appreciate how disappointing this is. We’re really sorry & will address with Amey how this came about.”

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Division Street restaurant Gatsbys tweeted: “Hedgerow Market has been amazing for Division Street.

Sheffield City Council has replied to frustrated traders to say it would "ask Amey [the contractors who should have closed the road] what went wrong."Sheffield City Council has replied to frustrated traders to say it would "ask Amey [the contractors who should have closed the road] what went wrong."
Sheffield City Council has replied to frustrated traders to say it would "ask Amey [the contractors who should have closed the road] what went wrong."

"For the guys who’ve worked so hard to find out on the morning that the event had to cancel because council forgot to put the road closure in place is absolutely galling.”

Today was set to be the only the third outing for the monthly pop-up market’s, which launched in August to offer a sales boost for traders during the city centre’s peak Saturday shopping hours.

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Another business, MoonKo, tweeted in support: “Absolutely gutted for Hedgerow Market today, that was meant to happen down Division Street! Cancelled very last minute as the road closures were not approved!!!

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“All the traders had turned up, ready to go. But you can’t have it with no approved road closure.”

Meanwhile, Sheffield Green Party said it would investigate “what went wrong and how to put things right with the local vendors.”

Many traders with perishable stock need to make stock in time for pop up markets and are at risk of making a loss on anything they are not able to sell.

Hedgerow Market was established this year through an application to the city’s Economic Recovery Fund for financial support.

Related topics:Sheffield City CouncilSheffield

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