Preston’s Markets are set for a complete facelift in the coming years

Many traders at Preston Market have been delivered with an eviction notice as the redevelopment of the building moves to the next stage.

Preston City Council has written to each of its current Indoor Market stallholders under the Landlord and Tenants Act of 1954.

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The building is due to be demolished as part of the £50m redevelopment of the area, to move a number of the Indoor Market stallholders onto a newly refurbished and partly protected Outdoor Market.

All traders who have been sent the letter are being offered short-term rolling contracts once the new market is complete.

The Market canopy lit at night

No timescale has been given for the exact dates when traders will move.

Related: Why is free parking being scrapped under the Market canopies?

Cabinet member for community and environment councillor Robert Boswell said: “We’re working closely with market traders during this critical period of transition of managing the change from the current market to the new market.

“As the landlord we also have legal obligations to uphold with market traders, not least giving them suitable notice of our intentions for the new market but also paying compensation where required. We are well on the way with this and these letters are the formal notice to quit.

“It’s a legal procedure we have to follow and means as soon as planning permission is granted, we can get on with the job of constructing and then moving to the new market without any un-due delay which will be better for everyone.”

A planning application was lodged in April for the new market and cinema complex.

The plans show how 25 permanent market stalls would be accommodated in the new Outdoor Market, and also some on the covered Fish Market.

Scaffolding has gone up on the Outdoor Covered Market for restoration work on the canopies as the city council looks for a firm to complete £4m of creating the new outdoor market.

What do you think of the Market plans? Do you have a stall in there? Let us know in the comments below