'WARRINGTON Market is still open' is the message traders are hoping to make loud and clear as bulldozers head to the town centre.

Work starting this week to demolish the former B&M building coupled with a radio station announcing the market was also being razed to the ground has led to many shoppers deserting the town's market.

But stallholders have since been spreading the word the market will remain open while demolition of Time Square take places and will not be closing its doors until a temporary market hall is built in 2017.

Andrew Leicester, from Andrew's Fish, Game and Poultry, said confusion over the Bridge Street development has led to many people asking him what he does now.

The 28-year-old added: "I have to keep telling people I'm still working at the market because it's not closed.

"Daily footfall has dropped by about 20 per cent since the B&M car park closed and there are times during the day when there is more staff than customers.

"I don't believe there's one solution but I think we just need to get the message across a bit better that we're still open and we're going to be here for another 18 months at least."

Ray Rigby, who has been running Rigby's Fruit for the last 35 years, reiterated the message and said the radio announcement had not helped matters.

He added: "Maybe we need better signage in town but whatever it is we need to get the message across we will be trading right the way through the development.

"The town has got a lot to offer but people are being inconvenienced by factors including car parks closing and some people don't like parking in a multi-storey.

"We're all still here so we want people to come take a look as there's plenty of bargains."

As for one of the market's longest-serving traders, Josie Butterworth says she is looking forward to cutting the ribbon when the new market opens.

The 81-year-old, who has worked at Warrington Market since she was 18, said: "The market has been my life but it's been terrible recently.

"A lot of people ask me if I'm moving into the new market and I tell them I'm 81 don't ask me that.

"I've had a wonderful life in the market and I want to cut the ribbon when the new one is here."

Once a temporary market hall is opened in 2017, as part of the Bridge Street Quarter Regeneration project, work will then turn to demolishing the current market hall to build a new 41,000 sq ft market hall alongside a multiplex cinema, restaurants and public square.