My View, Margaret Herbert: Let's make it easier to go to the market

I read with great sadness the demise of Doncaster Market and other markets throughout the country.

I have been shopping and playing around the market from being very young.

At one time my grandparents owned a jewellers’ where Marks and Spencer now stands.

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At that time there were no parking charges. People just parked their cars alongside the shops in Baxtergate and Scott Lane and did their shopping and drove off.

In addition, there was also a bus service running through the market area en route to Wheatley Hills and Beckett Road.

The racecourse bus stopped in High Street, but now there is no public transport to hand.

Indeed, one has to carry large bags of shopping to Cleveland Street, or to the middle of Hallgate, or go all the way through to the Interchange.

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Some days, especially on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, I have found myself waiting more than half an hour for a bus outside The Lord Nelson pub.

I admit that the Beckett Road bus does stop in Silver Street.

But as for all other areas, it is a long haul with all your shopping.

Do we no longer have any minibuses that could run from the car park area to the Interchange?

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For those who use the car parks around the market, surely a reduced rate on Tuesday, Friday and Saturday would help.

Perhaps that rate could be, say, for a three-hour stay?

Something has to be done to help our traders.

I look with disgust at the re-designing of the Wool Market, where traders are freezing cold with the north wind blowing straight on to the front of the now open building.

Whoever thought of this should be made to stand there all day when it is cold and raining.

Did nobody realise that the wind blows straight off the river there ?

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Although the new stalls are well designed, they appear to me to be badly laid out.

The Corn Exchange is a complete white elephant – again cold and uninviting.

It is in the town centre and was used, before the fire several years ago, for dances, band concerts, wrestling and boxing, along with many other public events.

The mezzanine floor is useless – there are no toilets within, the shops around the ground floor appear to survive, these could easily be left but my idea would be to reinstate a stage area, theatre- type fold-away seating, toilets and a proper central heating system.

Free parking after 6pm?

Is the problem that DMBC staff would have to be paid overtime to work evenings?

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