MARKET stall holders claim lorries serving the new Asda are creating 'bedlam' in Ellesmere Port.

Stall-holders were even prepared to blockade the building site behind the Port Arcades yesterday morning but then called off the action at the last minute.

Brian Hannaway, group secretary of Ellesmere Port Market Hall traders, is now seeking legal advice to see what can be done to offset their losses during the work.

He said: 'It's been bedlam down here. McGarva Way has been blocked off with no alternative route and, on Tuesday, workers wanted to block off the entrance to the car park by TJ Hughes while there was a delivery of refrigeration units for Asda.

'We thought of blocking off the road to stop the wagons coming along at 9am, but in the end we did not block anything.

'The workers now have three entrances to their site, and are digging up the road outside TJ Hughes to widen it, and there are lorries pulling up. It's horrendous.

'I'm now seeing a solicitor. This work is affecting the whole town. I've met lots of people who say they'll not shop in the Port any more.'

Mr Hannaway said the Market Hall has lost 25 full-time traders since the building work started in February, and the profits of those remaining were down by 50%.

'It's shocking. I had a deli and cafe business which has been decimated since February.

'Now the council wants me to invest £15-20,000 in the new Market Hall, which depends on whether or not people will come back into the town,' he added.

The borough's head of property and support services, Jane Williamson, said: 'We were told early this morning (Tuesday) that car parking spaces alongside the market had been blocked off by Asda's contractor.

'A large delivery had been expected at 8am but had been delayed.

'Council officers attended the site immediately and asked the contractor to remove the bollards. This was done and the delivery was cancelled.

'We are now looking for improvements in the contractor's working methods so problems like this can be avoided.

'We will make sure that traders' concerns are passed on to the contractor during our discussions.'