Market creates a '˜Berlin Wall'

I know it is the season of goodwill, but why has our borough council decided to reimpose the ‘Berlin Wall’ along the Terminus Road precinct?

The concept of a Christmas market certainly reflects modern thinking about attracting shoppers, although I suspect that many local retailers will probably see the arrival of the market as yet more additional competition.

Be that as it may, the idea that all stalls should face one way and be backed by a solid line of metal fencing beggars belief, plus it virtually denies cross precinct movement. There is a ‘Checkpoint Charlie’ but from personal experience a journey from Boots to Smiths or Waterstones is no longer straightforward.

Business was brisk on the eastern side but once on the opposite side it was a different story and much quieter indeed.

Might it not have been better to alternate the direction of the stalls, perhaps in blocks of three, and with more gaps for crossover, rather than to focus all of the trade on one side? Logic says that spreading pedestrian footfall along both sides of the precinct would be better for every business rather than focussing the majority of shoppers on to one side and in a narrower and significantly more congested area. Perhaps our council does not take risk management or forward planning as seriously as it should?