WELSHPOOL Indoor Market based at the Town Hall will be staying there, as the £80,000 cost to re-locate it is too much.

Last night (Wednesday, March 7) a Town Council committee decided that the the market should remain at the Town Hall and be open six days a week.

A scheme to refurbish the Market Halls will be considered next month.

This follows a survey in February by the Town Council in which 450 people and businesses too part.

The findings showed that 47 per cent thought it better to keep the market where it is, 38 per cent wanted to see it move.

45 per cent did not think moving the market would attract tourists while 30 per cent did.

40 per cent also thought the market should receive a limited subsidy from Welshpool Town Council.

40 per cent also thought relocating the market to the Church Street Car Park was a bad idea while 38 per cent of respondent thought it a good or very good idea.

The recommendation from the committee will no go before a Full Council meeting for a decision.

For the last two months, market traders who are against any move from the town hall have gathered hundreds of signatures on a petition to keep the status quo.

It had been felt that Welshpool Town Council should consider the petition and also comments on the proposals that had not been made through the official town council survey.

Town Clerk Robert Robinson said: "The Council were made aware of the survey results, public comments and traders views which along with economic and practical issues led the Committee to support the report.’

Mayor Cllr Steve Kaye added: "I wanted the decision on the markets to be discussed as soon as possible.

"We have listened to the public and traders and considered the costs and practicalities of each option open to us. We will now progress to completing what refurbishment should be taken forward."