NO one can be in any doubt about the message – the overwhelming majority of people want Ipswich market to move to the centre of the town.Now we're giving more of you the chance to tell Ipswich Council what they should do about the market, which is under threat unless a new home can be found for it soon.

NO one can be in any doubt about the message – the overwhelming majority of people want Ipswich market to move to the centre of the town.

Now we're giving more of you the chance to tell Ipswich Council what they should do about the market, which is under threat unless a new home can be found for it soon.

The Evening Star's website has been carrying its own poll for the last week – and it has attracted our biggest response ever with 81 per cent of people wanting to see the market in a central Ipswich location.

Now we're giving people without internet access the chance to vote – just fill in the coupon and send it off to us or drop it into our office.

We want to know how much support there is for a market which has been in existence in some form since before the town was granted its royal charter by King John in the year 1200.

"I think the level of support we're getting is very encouraging, but I know that some of the market customers don't have access to vote online," said market traders' chairman Michael Young.

"This will give them a chance to have their say – we're still getting a wonderful response from our customers."

Traders say that the increased publicity for their plight over the last few days has brought more people to the existing site beside Civic Centre.

But they say this is not a solution to their problem – they need a more central location to attract more shoppers.

"The support of the public is crucial for us," Mr Young said. "We have had people coming up to us and wishing us well – and things have certainly been busier.

"But we do need to keep pressing the message that we need a better site – otherwise the market will not survive."

The market has been on its "temporary site" beside Civic Centre for 18 years – during which time the number of stalls has dwindled from 74 to just nine, with seven on Saturdays.

Eventually it is hoped to move the market on to a site in the new Mint Quarter development off Tacket Street – but work on that site is still several years away.

N If you want to have your say either vote online on www.eveningstar.co.uk or write in to Evening Star Letters, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN. Alternatively you can e mail eveningstarletters@ecng.co.uk