Browse Sections

• Education
• Roadworks
• Shipman
• Special reports

MP: market fire is a tragedy for town

Sue Carr
26/ 5/2004

ASTHON'S MP has described the fire which destroyed the town's market hall as a tragedy.

Little is left of the historic hall after a devastating blaze in the early hours of Tuesday morning wrecked the livelihood of many traders.

David Heyes, MP for the town, said: "The market hall has been the heart of Ashton for more than a century. Generations of local people have shopped and socialised there."

"Thousands of shoppers come from far and wide every day to shop at one of the best traditional markets in the country."

"I was really sad to see the devastation left by the blaze."

"Like me, many local people will have fond memories of the market. When I was a little lad my mum used to take me and nowadays, more than 50 years later, she still shops there and I use the market myself every week."

But he added that the council would be doing all it could to help the town recover as quickly as possible.

"Everything is being done to get a temporary market up and running again" he said.

"We will have to wait for the expert reports on the shell of the building, but I hope we will be able to maintain the traditional character when we are planning its permanent replacement."