IPSWICH market IS set to move to the Cornhill – but only on Saturdays.And the stallholders today pledged to continue the fight to move it to the centre of town three days a week.

IPSWICH market IS set to move to the Cornhill – but only on Saturdays.

And the stallholders today pledged to continue the fight to move it to the centre of town three days a week.

The town's beleaguered market traders heard today that the market is likely to be allowed to move on to the Cornhill on Saturdays from spring this year.

The other two days, Tuesday and Friday, it would have to remain in its present position, outside the Civic Centre.

The compromise is to be considered by planners at Ipswich council later this month – but the Star understands that it has widespread support among the ruling Labour group at Civic Centre.

But, buoyed up by the support they've received from the public since their plight became known, the traders are determined to press to move there on Tuesdays and Fridays as well as Saturdays.

The Star's campaign has received overwhelming support from across the area – we have so far received 430 replies and only one is opposed to the market moving.

Our online poll at www.eveningstar.co.uk has attracted more than 700 votes – and 83 per cent want it to move to the centre of town.

The traders recognised the importance of the council offer.

"This is a major concession by the council – they are conceding that we can move to the Cornhill when before they'd been saying it wasn't possible legally," said traders' spokesman Mike Young.

"But we've got such a lot of support we should carry on and press for us to move there three days a week."

Although Mr Smart's wording appears cautious, it does represent a major u-turn for the authority.

A fortnight ago it was telling people that it was not possible to move the market to the Cornhill because of legal restrictions.

Then Mr Smart said the market could not block the highway – and much of the Cornhill was still classed as the highway.

And there were other blocks to prevent stalls from moving there.

Now those objections appear to have been overcome and the council is expected to allow the stalls on to the Cornhill on Saturdays.

Mr Young's view was backed up by other traders on the market.

"We need to be in the same place otherwise people will have difficulty in finding us," said Adrian Sharpe from the grocery stall.

And Jackie and Bill Woolven who have a lingerie stall on the market were also keen to be in a settled location.

"We've been here since June last year and it is very quiet. We now go to Felixstowe on a Saturday rather than coming here," said Mrs Woolven.

"But if we could be on the Cornhill on a Saturday, I'd be there – it is the ideal place for the market," she said.

Pam Granville, who was on her son Roger's army surplus stall, said he had been warned their £8,000 trailer would not be acceptable on the Cornhill.

"It's considered a fire risk – at least that's what they've told us," she said.