Council under fire from shopkeeper
AFTER its tussle with the market, Ipswich council has now come under fire from a shopkeeper who claims it is trying to run him out of town.Terry Jones runs Fresh and Fruity greengrocers on the junction of Lady Lane and Westgate Street.
By Paul Geater
AFTER its tussle with the market, Ipswich council has now come under fire from a shopkeeper who claims it is trying to run him out of town.
Terry Jones runs Fresh and Fruity greengrocers on the junction of Lady Lane and Westgate Street.
He says he has been threatened with court action because his stock overflows on to the pavement in front of his shop.
"This road is pedestrianised, there is no problem here at all – but the council is threatening to take me to court which could land me with a £1,000 fine.
"That would drive me out of business," he said.
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Mr Jones has run the shop for five years, and said that during that time the council had caused him major problems.
"I've had an ongoing struggle with them – this part of the town has really gone downhill over the time I've been here.
"Now that we've lost some of the big shops around here, the number of people in the area has fallen and now the council is trying to close us down," he said.
A spokesman for the council said they had discussed the matter with Mr Jones several times.
"We have asked him to pull his stock from off the pavement, and everytime we reach an agreement it creeps out again.
"The council has had some strong words – but we can't have the pavement obstructed," he said.
n The Evening Star has launched the Save Ipswich Market campaign. If you want to have your say, either vote online on www.eveningstar.co.uk or write to Evening Star Letters, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN. Or e-mail eveningstarletters@ecng.co.uk
