The future of Liverpool?s historic Meat and Fish Market, on Prescot Road, Old Swan, has been hanging in the balance since Christmas.

Selling produce wholesale to businesses across Merseyside, the nearest alternative is in Manchester.

Receivers GVA Grimley are looking to sell the market ? which had been leased by the Gavin Raw Company ? but if a buyer can?t be found, traders are warning jobs will lost along with a piece of Liverpool history.

Ken Macaulay, chair of the traders association, who has been selling fish at the market for 53 years, said: ?There is a massive disappointment with what?s happened, we work so hard and jobs are threatened.

?We want to stay in Liverpool and don?t want to move from our purpose-built building but we feel let down by the city council.

?This is a profitable business. Knowsley Council wanted us to move to Kirkby into a new building but we want to stay in Liverpool.



?We don?t want money from the council but we want them to do something, the market has a place in the city and is part of its heritage.?

Liverpool City Council passed on the freehold on a long lease back to the early 1990s.

Trader Ronnie Rogers, director of JC and W Craig Balfour Ltd, who has worked at the market for 24 years said traders were keen to invest and hope to expand the market.

He said: ?This company is one of many that have been trading in the market for over 100 years.

?If we have to close and relocate 60 or 70 businesses will be affected and it won?t just be the traders who lose their jobs it will affect the thousands of restaurant, shops and businesses who buy from us.

?There?s history here and there?s no reason we can?t keep on running for another 100 years. .

?At the moment there?s only fish and meat but we would welcome flowers, vegetables and bring all the wholesalers together in one place.

?But at the moment we?re in a catch 22 situation, no-one wants to invest in the market if we might have to leave.

?Everybody is talking about food miles and local produce and they can get that within Liverpool without having to travel to Manchester.?

Jane Kennedy, minister for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, who visited the market this weekend, is calling on Liverpool City Council to show a political will to save the market.

Mrs Kennedy said: ?This is the best time to be putting all into Liverpool as this market is the only facility for Merseyside, Cheshire and Lancashire.

?If we lose this, the jobs of more than 60 people will be lost and all the restaurants and shops who buy from here will have to travel to Manchester instead.

?The traders want to invest and expand the business and I believe it could become like Smithfields or Covent Garden in London with outdoor markets at the weekend.

?They want Liverpool City Council to revoke the lease, take back control and preserve the market.?

Liverpool Daily Post