Winsford Market traders incensed over lack of hygienic toilet facilities

Portacabins were taken away in July and replaced with two portable toilets, which stallholders claim are not being emptied regularly, have no hand washing facilities or lights.

"It is not satisfactory," said Julie Hodkinson, whose family business Julie Clare Schoolwear has traded in the market for 50 years.

"When the council installed the portable toilets they said they would empty them every week. We have waited three weeks for them to be emptied.

"There are no lights in them, come winter it will be too dark to use them. There are sinks but no water so we have to use a sink in an empty unit to wash our hands. It is not hygenic.

"We are fed up complaining about this."

Stallholders say they feel neglected by Cheshire West and Chester Council.

Greengrocer Robert Althorp gets up at 3am every day to stock his stall with fresh fruit and vegetables and has been trading for 40 years.

The 80-year-old is appalled by the lack of proper toilet facilities.

Greengrocer Robert Althorp, 80, is appalled by the lack of proper toilet facilities

He said: "I have three women working with me who are fastidious about hygiene and not very impressed."

Julie added: "We are worried about the market. They are getting rent off us but we're not getting anything back in return. We are being treated like second class citizens. This is our livelihood. We have built up a lot of loyal customers but footfall has fallen off dramatically.

"We understand there are plans for regeneration but we need help now.

"A lot of us have been here for a long time and won't give up."

CWAC Cllr Richard Beacham, cabinet member for housing, regeneration and growth, said: "Local residents will recall that the toilets next to the market were closed in 2008 when they were replaced by the ones in the town centre. These were then closed in 2016 by the previous owners of Winsford Cross Shopping Centre following reports of anti-social behaviour.

CWAC Cllr Richard Beacham has reassured market traders that 'work is underway to identify a better solution'

“When the council purchased the shopping centre in 2018, it decided not to reopen the toilets because of the regeneration plans for the town.

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“Earlier this year portable toilets were provided in the market as a temporary measure for the traders during the three days of the week that the market is open but we accept that this arrangement is not ideal. I want to offer my assurances that work is underway to identify a better solution.”