Wigan traders gather to protest The Galleries renovation plans

The group met at The Galleries shopping centre on Friday morning to share their thoughts.

Stallholders have concerns about proposals to revamp The Galleries, which include demolishing some of the current buildings and erecting hundreds of flats, a hotel and leisure facilities.

There is disappointment among traders that the plan does not include a permanent outdoor market and fears there will be downsizing, despite the local authority saying there will be space in the new-look development for everyone who wants a stall.

Opposition politicians supporting the market traders have expressed alarm at the cost of the project and questioned some of the new facilities chosen for the scheme, although Wigan Council and its partner Cityheart have previously responded strongly to criticism of the project’s viability.

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