Marketing fresh air and food

Outdoor dining could be on the way in Newark Market Place.

Newark and Sherwood District Council’s environmental services head, Mr Andy Statham, said that the move was becoming more likely, after approaches from several businesses.

He told the services scrutiny committee that the council would announce its policy in the New Year.

Discussions about whether Newark and Southwell market places should provide increased electricity voltage to traders looks unlikely to fizzle out any time soon.

The district council’s services scrutiny committee asked for a report on the regulations for the use of the Market Place.

Some traders, mainly those coming for the farmers’ market and those who bring furnaces to cook such things as jacket potatoes, need 240 volts so bring generators as the council provides 110 only volts on safety grounds.

Some traders have requested that the power supply be upgraded but this would cost a great deal of money and council officers are unwilling on safety grounds.

The head of housing and environmental services, Mr Andy Statham, said that 240 volts could kill and the council would be liable, whereas 110 volts wouldn’t.

Mr Statham said that other councils that owned markets were moving towards reducing to 110 volts on those same safety grounds.

A councillor, Mr Bryan Richardson, was vigorously opposed to any change.

“Ultimately I believe safety first,” he said.

“We should not go beyond 110 volts. If you walk on to a building site with 240 volts you get kicked straight off.”

The committee chairman, Mrs Marika Tribe, who asked for the report, said some traders who wanted to attend the farmers’ market weren’t because the voltage offered was too low and were instead heading elsewhere.

Mrs Tribe said: “We should be trying to help. If we impose too much, community involvement dies.”