Market amends hauliers' entry fee
Page 15
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• Officials at the North East Wholesale Fruit and Vegetable market in Gateshead have decided to amend proposals to charge hauliers entry to the market from September.
This follows criticism from the Road Haulage Association's Agricultural Group (CM August 2).
The original proposed .£5 Occasional entry fee has now been cut to £2 in line with charges levied for occasional entry at London's New Covent Garden.
However, the six month access charge of £50, or 200 for a year's access are to remain. The six-month entry charge at Covent Garden is also £50.
RHA Agricultural Group secretary Phil Bond has welcomed the reduction in occasional entry charges although he remains disap pointed that the market "has seen fit not to get rid of the charges altogether".
Market Manager Andrew Hall (see page 22) says the fees are intended to keep out growing numbers of non-legitimate traders who have been using the market, and to also offset increased costs.
The fees will also, according to Hall, bring the Gateshead market in-line with Covent Garden.