CIVIC chiefs attempting to modernise an ancient Hampshire market have hit back at claims that they are bullying stallholders.

The Tory-run Lymington and Pennington Town Council is implementing previously-agreed regulations in a move it says will help make the Saturday market safer and more successful.

The 100 stallholders who attend the weekly Lymington market are being told to pay their pitch fees by standing order.

Those who insist on paying cash could be prevented from returning to their usual pitch if they miss several markets in a row.

Former councillor Ted Jearrad said the stance “smacked of bullying” – and could damage attempts to revitalise the market by driving away traders.

At a council meeting he said: “If something runs smoothly don’t try to fix it. Leave the stallholders alone, you need them as much as they need you.”

The deputy mayor, Cllr Anne Corbridge, is spearheading efforts to modernise the market – first held in 1250.

She said: “All we’re doing is implementing recommendations that the previous council approved but never took forward.

“We’re trying to get all the permanent stallholders to pay by standing order so that the market supervisors aren’t walking around with large amounts of cash.

“Those who pay by standing order are paying for their regular pitch whether they turn up or not. But those who pay by cash can’t go off for several weeks and expect to have the same pitch when they return.

"They will have to take what’s available, which is only fair.

“I would not agree that we are bullying the stallholders.”

As part of its campaign to update the market the council is also attempting to reduce the problems caused by parked vans as well as ensuring that all the stallholders’ documentation is up to date.

Cllr Corbridge said: “It will make the whole situation a lot more predictable and settled.

“We are doing what we can to safeguard our staff as well as giving the traders a degree of flexibility. To me it’s a no-brainer.”