Sefton Council have this week rebuked claims that Southport's Indoor Market is closing - despite saying so in a letter to one of their own employees.

A letter leaked to The Champion on Monday (February 1) gives a council employee 90 days notices of his work at the market, but explains the reason is because the building, on King Street, is to close later this year.

“Due to the closure of Southport Indoor Market it is with sincere regret and in accordance with Sefton Council's policies and proceedures I issue with 90 days notice,” it reads.

The letter, which was written by a member of the council's Environmental Protection Services department, also has the words “Closure of building” as its main subject line.

“I thought the whole point of the way the market's refurbishment has been agreed is that the building was not going to be closed,” said the council employee, who asked not be named.

“I find it very strange, then, that I've been sent a letter which explicitly says the reason for my contract being ended is that the building is going to be closed. Both my supervisor and I will be talking to the council in the next few days to ask exactly what they mean.”

The Indoor Market has been earmarked for a refurbishment project later this year which the council hopes will make the site more attractive to traders wishing to open stalls at the site, as well as bringing the building up to date for visitors shopping there.

There had also been speculation that the building could be used as a temporary site for the town centre's library, but councillors voted against this idea in favour of the market's refurbishment.

Members of Sefton Council's cabinet agreed earlier this year, but have decided that it will be carried out in a series of stages specifically designed to keep the building open.

“I can categorically say that Southport Market is not closing, which backs up the decisions taken by Sefton Council at its last cabinet meeting on the subject,” said Councillor Brenda Porter, Sefton Council's cabinet member for communities.

“I'm not entirely sure where this letter's come from, but the way the market will be refurbished is by making it smaller while the work is being done, rather than closing it altogether. It's the best option for the traders, even if it's going to take slightly longer.”

Sefton Council declined to comment officially on the subject but a council spokesman told The Champion that the letter was written in error, and did not in any way reflect the proposed direction for the Indoor Market Building.

By David Simister