City leader branded "scrooge" after Christmas market criticised

Traders at the market have hit back at Simon Letts’s comments that he was “underwhelmed” with what’s on offer.

As revealed in the Daily Echo yesterday, Labour leader Cllr Letts, pictured below, told the current operators to make a “substantial improvement” or someone else could run it next year.

But traders say the comments could “put a dampener” on the bazaar, which opens in the city centre today, and called on Cllr Letts to visit the market in a bid to change his opinion.

The annual market, featuring 41 food and retail stalls and musical entertainment, will run until December 28.

Last year market organisers Southern Market Traders (SMT) said they were hoping to expand what’s on offer, but organiser Paul Lewis, pictured below, told the Daily Echo that this year’s event would be “much of the same”.

And with SMT’s five-year contract due to run out next year, Cllr Letts said he and fellow council leaders were “underwhelmed” with the current offer.

He added: “We will be going out to tender next year and we expect a substantial improvement from the current operator or we will be bringing in a different operator.

"We can do better. The provider needs to up their game.”

But traders have hit back.

A spokesman for the group said: “What a Scrooge, the market had not even started.

“If it is a lack of an ice rink or other festivities, it would be interesting to hear how he believes these should be funded.

“We know that SMT management offered to make the Christmas festivities larger but there was no funding from the council, even though they offered to match what the council put in.

“If they increase the rent on the Christmas market, traders would not be able to afford to attend.”

Jason Welton, co-owner of Moroccan artisan stall Funky Cool Medina, added: “This is our second year at the Christmas market and negative comments really put a dampener on things before they have even started.

“It is tough trading conditions for any small independent trader and we work really hard all year to be able to afford a stall. We need support not negativity.”

He added: “I challenge Cllr Letts to find the same goods anywhere in the UK. He won’t be able to – everything is designed or hand chosen by my partner.”

And Katherine Morris, owner of chilli sellers Bunnyman’s Bunnychow, said: “I would like to think that following his comments Cllr Letts may come and try us out and see if we can help change his mind about the standards on Southampton Christmas market.”