TRADERS concerned over the future of the historic Brecon Market Hall and Arcade have won the backing of the town mayor.

Worried that a lack of advertising and investment in the marketplace will bring its future into question, stallholders and businesses wrote to town mayor Matthew Dorrance earlier this month urging him and fellow town councillors to call on Powys County Council (PCC) to inject cash into the hall and arcade to make it more attractive to shoppers.

In a pledge of support to all those protesting over the marketplace over its 'diminishing state', the mayor said: "Brecon's Market is a wonderful and historic building. Its past has seen Neil Kinnock and Jennie Lee address crowds at election rallies, Dionne Warwick play the Brecon Jazz Festival and it is of course a fantastic shopping area in our town. "I have asked Powys County Council to take some responsibility, invest in the arcade, tidy up the entrance, clean the stone work, paint the gates and improve signage for the traders. These are not big measures but they will help to make it a more attractive shopping area and help safeguard some of our independent retailers."

Councillor John Powell, PCCs cabinet member with responsibility for market halls said: "As with many of the council's properties, the Brecon Market Arcade and Market Hall would benefit from capital investment to improve its appearance. However, the council has many priorities for its capital, not least the provision of improvements to schools in Powys, and unfortunately, the Market Arcade and Hall are not priorities for our limited resources at this time."

For more see this week's Brecon & Radnor Express - available now.