They worry a lot. Some people lose sleep over it. Others make the decision to draw the curtain when the construction site arrives in front of their homes. They? These are the traders of the Forville market.
More precisely the sedentary ones installed around the tile. By the looks of it, around thirty. Half of them met this Thursday around coffee. With a preamble that the participants value: “We are entirely in favor of the work on this market. We are convinced that they are necessary for the preservation of the place and we applaud the City’s initiative.”
But they know it: the twenty-four months of construction that are underway – smoothly for the moment with the network work progressing, step by step from the North of the market (opposite Monoprix) every day of the week between 2 p.m. and 10 p.m. – will impact their activity.
They are already gritting their teeth, telling themselves that they must be patient.
No market, no passage, no customers
A few weeks ago, a new scenario emerged regarding the operation of the site. While the first idea was to organize the latter in half-panel – one part under construction, the other in commercial activity with the appropriate protections (dust and noise) – the city services launched a consultation on a move total of the market towards the Allées during the work. Advantages according to them: faster progress of machinery and construction with, inevitably, a reduced cost.
It was at this moment that local traders began to ask questions: “We have the feeling that at no time has the fate of those who cannot travel been considered”we heard.
Et: “We have bills to pay, rent to honor and employees to pay. What are we going to do if our customers no longer come…”
Because for them, the equation is quite simple: no market = no traffic = no customers in a noisy and dusty area.
“We will suffer from a drop in turnover during the work. And when everything is improved, the owners, under the pretext that the neighborhood has increased in value, will increase our rents. Conclusion: we will really be in danger …”
Traders doubt “even if this was done in certain cities”that compensation be granted to them, as they do not believe “that the owners will be understanding during the construction” And still less “that insurance companies will support them due to operating losses…”
But they still mention these tracks. You never know, if someone were to listen to them… If the town hall could support…
This Thursday, they were convinced that their fate would be sealed next Monday in the municipal council. “It is deliberation 22 which will define the choice of the protocol adopted.”
But looking at the agenda, we see that 22 does not really concern the organization of the market.
We contacted the municipality on the issue. She replied that traders must “feel reassured.”
“They have been heard”
The services must study the feasibility of the formula, ensure that it is technically viable. But, assured Thierry Migoule, “the traders have been heard”.
While recalling the need to “save this market”, the chief of staff cited the words of the mayor, David Lisnard, about the construction site: “Forville must not only be a meeting place on weekends, it must absolutely become a shopping area all week long. A real place to live…”
The services have clearly understood the concerns of traders: “We are therefore working on the hypothesis of half-market operation…”
To do this, two essential elements: “The work must be staggered during the day: from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m..” Et “keep as many traders as possible on the floor.”
Premiers “volumes” mentioned: 47 traders out of the 85 who would remain on a third of the market. And the others on the Allées, under an organized hall. “With a liaison between the traders of the occupied part of the square and those of the Allées…”
Thierry Migoule insists: “We are really going to study the possibility of organizing this technically. And we have until April 1 for that.”
So let traders be reassured. While waiting for confirmation by mail.