TRADERS have hit back at a campaign to give Pickering market a new home.

The town's Monday market has been moved to Ropery Car park temporarily while flagstones are repaired in Market Place.

It is due to be moved back to the Market Place on November 30.

Pickering in Business chairman Neil Armstrong said there is widespread support to keep the market in the car park and is leading a campaign to make the move permanent.

However, Joanne Dawson, who runs a card stall in the market, surveyed all 19 of her colleagues and found 14 wanted a return to their traditional base.

"I feel Mr Armstrong has been misinformed of the views of the public," she said.

"The majority of my customers want the market back in the Market Place."

Mr Armstrong said: "The market has been a mess for a long time. The guys turn up and put their stalls where they like.

"With the chaos that creates, I'm amazed no one has been knocked over."

But Mrs Dawson said: "My stall has been on Pickering Market for the last 32 years. My uncle Richard owned it before I took it over 13 years ago.

"We have fully contracted pitches. We can't go outside our designated area.

"This is only his opinion, nobody else's. Nobody has been to see us. I think the people of Pickering should be made aware of the truth.

"We don't just turn up where we like. You can't go making accusations like that."

She said people have also complained about losing a day's worth of their season ticket for the car park.

Mrs Dawson added that the car park was not suitable for the market as it has potholes and is dangerous in places - especially for the elderly.

"We have only been in Ropery Car Park for ten weeks and some of the traders are already packing up at lunchtime because of a lack of trade," she said.

"If you take a market away from the main street, the market will eventually die."

A spokesperson for Ryedale District Council said: "The council is currently considering a request to permanently relocate the market.

"However there is clearly conflicting opinion about this view and the council needs to understand the facts, together with the financial consequences, in order to make a decision on the future location of this market."

The council are now launching a consultation exercise to "inform the budget setting process". People are asked to email markets@ryedale.gov.uk