TOWN leaders are furious that a continental market has been cancelled with less than a week’s notice.

The continental market in Malton, scheduled to take place this weekend, was cancelled by operators Brunomart on Monday evening.

The company said that the team running the continental market has been losing money in recent months, and could no longer afford to travel from France to Malton.

One of the organisers, Coun Di Keal, said: “I got an email from Bruno Girardeau, who runs Brunomart, early on Tuesday morning. I’m furious that he has cancelled at such short notice. An awful lot of work has gone into this.

“The Thrive business group and I have spent hours putting up posters, writing press releases, arranging for roads to be closed and signs to be put up, and speaking to Malton businesses. We have been planning it since August.

“I’m really sorry to all the people who were looking forward to coming to Malton this weekend for the market. This is really out of our control,” said Coun Keal.

The continental market was first held in Malton in August this year, when a different company ran the event.

This company said at the start of October that it would not be able to come to Malton at Christmas, so Coun Di Keal asked Brunomart to run the market instead.

Brunomart had promised 26 stalls selling freshly-baked bread, croissants and Patisserie, honey, pancakes, olives, cooked meats, cheese, wine, spices, Belgian chocolates, garlic and onions.

Mr Girardeau, who is based in Surrey, said: “Brunomart has two continental market teams.

“Team two, who were supposed to be going to Malton this weekend, have been losing so much money over the last few months that last weekend they ceased trading.

“Coming from France to put on a market costs a lot of money because all the staff have to stay in hotels, and it isn’t feasible with the economy as it is at the moment.

“I don’t take pleasure in cancelling it, but if you go to a shop expecting it to be open, and it is closed, it is closed.”

Jane Ford, mayor of Malton, said: “It’s a big disappointment because one of the reasons for holding the market is to attract more shoppers to Malton.”