HALESOWEN'S Saturday market could close in 12 months unless more people use it, stallholders have been warned.

The opening times and days the market operates are to be cut back after its promoters said it is the only way to attract the right mix of traders to the town.

From November, stalls will only trade between the hours of 9am to 3pm on the third weekend of each month.

The move comes after local shops opposed an application to renew permission to continue trading, at a meeting of Dudley Council’s licensing committee this week.

Bescot Saturday Markets Ltd proposed the changes following complaints that businesses in the town centre, which pay rents and business rates, are being undercut by stallholders.

Halesowen Bid, which represents business in the town, also argued the description of the event as a ‘farmer’s market’ was inaccurate as no agricultural products were being sold and instead stalls were selling goods in direct competition with local shops.

Steve Cox, representing Bescot Saturday Market Ltd, told the committee traders were put off selling their products because of the 9-5pm trading hours imposed by the council.

“Farmers and art and craft stallholders simply don’t wish to trade for that long,” he explained.

“Farmers in particular want to cease trading around 2pm so they can return to their farms.”

He also warned running costs meant the market was only breaking even on “good days”.

Emphasising that there needed to be a mix of traders selling farm, crafts and general goods he accepted Halesowen Bid’s suggestion that it operate once a month while saying local shops had to accept stallholders would compete on price.

But he warned if the business was not making money in 12 months time the company would not reapply for a new licence.

The market will now stop trading until November 17 when it will reopen with a Christmas Fayre.