I’M wondering if other inhabitants of the Welshpool area feel as I do about the demise of the town’s Monday Market?
When my husband and I moved to Wales in 1973, the market hall was full of stalls once or twice a week selling everything from socks, underwear, farm produce, garden tools, bric-a-brac, vacuum cleaners, plants, cakes, toys etc.
Also at that time the town had at least one quality dress shop, shoe shop, tourist stuff, leather goods, hairdressers and bakeries, as well as WH Smiths and Woolworths and many others. There was little that was not available on our doorstep. Now, on the other hand, what is left?
We should have had Tesco years ago instead of replacing Kwik Save with other supermarkets, and people come for miles to go to Coed Y Dinas whereas in the past holiday visitors had to flock to Welshpool market for their bargain buys and locals would meet up in the cheese queue or grabbing local produce for the weekend - the town was alive.
If stall holders and local suppliers could be enticed back and local people encouraged to list what they would go and buy in a market the town of Welshpool could be restored into the lively place it used to be.
OK, cash is always a problem and I believe stall holders were priced out of their positions and not supported in times of crisis but I cannot believe this town cannot do something to make Welshpool a proper market town again.