Coronavirus: Machynlleth market prompts social distancing concern

Machynlleth was granted a royal charter for its weekly market in 1291

Businesses have raised concerns about a lack of social distancing on market day in a Powys town due to an influx of visitors.

One Machynlleth shopkeeper has shut his shop on Wednesday for the first time in 32 years because of the issue.

Aaron Cottam, who runs a furniture shop in the town, said he had expected a one way system to be introduced.

"All we can do is put signs up and point out the rules," said town councillor Jim Honeybill.

Butcher William Lloyd Williams said visitors needed educating about safety.

"More people are coming here to Wales - which is great - because that will stimulate the economy which has been dormant here, but there needs to be education," he said.

"We don't want any slip-ups now."

He said local people had been "absolutely first class".

Signs advising about social distancing have been put up in Machynlleth

Mr Cottam posted a message on Facebook saying he had decided to close his shop on Wednesdays.

"I fully expected a one way system, stalls only operating in the wider areas of the street and no market stalls outside the cafes so they could put tables out as they do on other days of the week.

"Also maybe the use of one or two other sites so the stalls would be spread out more and social distancing would be easier to implement.

"None of this was done and the more the weeks went on the more annoyed I got."

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Mr Honeybill said: "Other than closing the market completely, there's very little we can do.

"All we can do is put signs up and point out the rules."

He admitted he had been shocked when he visited the town on market day following an easing of coronavirus restrictions allowing people to travel further afield.

"I was taken aback about the volume of people coming here," he said.

"They weren't social distancing, no masks. I was quite shocked."

In a statement, Powys council said, following a review, the width of pavements in Machynlleth were "considered sufficient to maintain social distancing".

"It is the responsibility of the town council, charter market manager and stall owners to ensure that social distancing measures are put in place when setting up stalls," it said.