AFTER 12 years of trading at Melksham’s Tuesday market, stall holder Ken Langley has been banned from the market after a dispute with Wiltshire Council.
The owner of Ken’s Fresh Fish had his licence terminated after he turned up to trade in Melksham on a day that the market had been cancelled by Wiltshire Council due to expected high winds caused by Storm Francis on Tuesday 25th August. Ken had been told by the council the day prior to the market about its cancellation, but Ken says that he was told “too late” and that he had already purchased stock for the next day.
“They rang me at 2pm in the afternoon (on Monday 24th August) to say that the market was going to be too windy to be open,” said Ken speaking to Melksham News. “I’d already bought my fish by then. What am I going to do with a van load of fish then – throw it away?!
“With my van I can be anywhere, it’s not going to get blown about – and the winds were not as strong as expected. It’s been very upsetting and there is no appeal process.
“I’m a key worker, who has worked through the pandemic – and I feel ripped off – I like being here. In the past 12 years I probably haven’t come a handful of times.
“Wiltshire Council are being jobsworths – they are trying to justify their jobs!”
The termination of Ken’s licence prevents him from trading at any Wiltshire Council-run market – news that has his customers up in arms.
“It’s very unfair,” one customer told Melksham News. “Surely a warning not to repeat the offence would be more appropriate. The ban has effectively denied a livelihood to Ken, especially as it applies to other Wiltshire markets. You would get a warning if you were a county council employee who did something wrong – you wouldn’t be sacked without the chance of an appeal.”
Pauline Baker said, “Why would Wiltshire Council sabotage our market like this? Melksham is being deprived of fresh fish – it’s not right!
“Ken has been loyal, regular, coming out in all weathers, as have the other traders, and we shall miss him.”
Despite the ban, Ken attempted to continue his fresh fish service from the Market Place due to an ongoing arrangement to meet two of his suppliers in Melksham.
The week after his licence was terminated, Ken parked his van in the loading bay of the Market Place for a couple of hours, serving some of his regular customers whilst he waited for his deliveries to arrive.
Ken said, “I don’t want to break the law, that’s not what I do. But I’ve got friends here, and customers who buy fish from me every week – they are being deprived of fresh fish as you can’t get it anywhere else in Melksham. If I don’t come, I’ll feel like I’m letting them down.”
However, Ken’s hopes of continuing his weekly service to the town were dashed when he received a warning from Wiltshire Council.
“Wiltshire Council has told me that if they see me in the Market Place again they will prosecute,” explained Ken, “and the fine could be up to £1,000 a day. And that’s something I can’t afford, so I won’t be coming back to Melksham.”
In the letter to Ken about his termination, Wiltshire Council said, “The market was cancelled for the safety of traders and the public due to high winds forecast on the day. As operator, the council reserves the right to cancel the market at any time and expects traders to comply with reasonable instructions.
“In light of your decision to ignore the officer’s instructions and trade when the market was cancelled, the council has taken the decision to terminate your trader’s licence.”
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