AUGUST TRADE NEWS Bad weather blamed for shopping centre delay Chester council  not supporting retailers New rules 'won't help save retail centre' Irish shoppers look abroad for bargains British consumers spend more on beauty products Yorkshire town gets behind plastic bag reduction scheme Rising obesity prompts calls for VAT rule changes eBay restructures fee scheme to make fixed-priced sales cheaper Online sales boom despite slowdown Music retailer goes out of business Matalan named and shamed for how it treats wholesalers BCC slams higher parking charges proposals Booming wholesaler moves to new warehouse Market traders told to only 'shout quietly' London's retailers show growth despite gloom Counterfeit goods dealer sentenced to prison UK's smallest town protests supermarket plan More retailers and wholesalers going out of business Online retail sector predicted to expand rapidly Henley retailers protest development plans Retail sales continue to slow Tiffany appeals US court's eBay ruling Report criticises electricity suppliers' treatment of small businesses MK retailers protest Tesco expansion plan Yorkshire retailers protest supermarket move Manchester wholesaler shut down over fraud worries Businesses welcome plans to reduce red tape Rate hold accepted by small businesses Internet sales put pressure on the high street Huge counterfeit goods haul in Somerset Irish entrepreneur online retail plans Wholesaler sector set to struggle Staycations could help British retailers Retailers 'gloomy' about economic outlook Retailers report footfall continues to decline as consumers cut back Hidden door reveals huge counterfeiting operation in Manchester shop No recession for the UK this year East London wholesaler goes into receivership London mayor reveals plans to support small retailers Toy retailers defy gloom Retailers urged to embrace online sales Trade News Archive August 08 July 08 June 08 May 08 April 08 March 08 February 08 January 08 Subscribe to our newsletter   Go to The Wholesaler UK Directory 18th August 2008 Market traders told to only 'shout quietly' Independent traders in an historic market town in Northumberland have been told by local council officials that they need to stop loudly advertising their wares. While traders have called out in a bid to attract customers to Hexham's market since the 13th century, local office workers have now complained about the noise and the council has acted. In fact, new rules state that the independent traders can only now shout on Tuesdays and Saturdays. Even then, they have been asked to do so "quietly". One local retailer, Martin Foster, explained to the Daily Mail: "It's ridiculous; Hexham's supposed to be a market town. "We pay nearly £1,000 rent to have a stall here, and if we can't attract customers, particularly in winter, then I'm worried the stall might not survive." Another trader, Philippa Walker, told the paper: "The hustle and bustle of the market place is one of the reasons people visit the town; it's part of its charm. I don't know anyone who objects to it but apparently people complained and the council has acted, but it seems so unnecessary." However, Philip Hindmarsh, Tynesdale district council's head of waste and transport management, said that the noise from the stalls had "gone beyond what is felt to be reasonable".     (c) 2008 Adfero Ltd. Sponsor of August Trade News Tilting TV Brackets   Comment on this news story To comment on any story please click on the above link, put the story title in the subject line and please provide your name, trading style ie. retailer or wholesaler and the town where you trade.