Heavy-hearted volunteers announce market stall closure
Heavy-hearted volunteers announce the closure of a market stall which provides the funds to support needy or homeless cats across Telford as well as cat owners.
Cats Protection Telford & District ran a successful stall for over three years which was closed as part of the Wellington Market regeneration scheme.
After long-running negotiations with Telford & Wrekin Council, including the submission of a 1100-signature petition from supporters worldwide to maintain a Cats Protection presence in the market, a new space was agreed in Market Street.
Sadly, after less than a month of trading it became evident that the new unit required increasing levels of investment to meet Health & Safety requirements. There was also a restriction on items allowed for sale, including prohibition of anything that a pet shop might sell.
Despite the rent for 12 months being covered by the Council, these factors, as well as low footfall, takings no longer covering day-to-day running costs and a lack of accessibility for disabled shoppers or volunteers, were found to impact too greatly on the charity’s opportunities for fundraising to make it viable. The stall has now ceased trading.
Sally Themans, lead on market trader engagement said “We wish the Cats Protection team all the best to be able to continue their work in the Telford area.
“We’ve worked hard together to try and find a workable solution which suited the charity in a great position in the market and are disappointed for them that they have now decided to close.
“The market refurbishment is proceeding at great pace with the fantastic new toilets opening last weekend and traders moving into the first phase of new stalls this week.
“We very much hope that all will continue to support our great market.”
Tracy Hitchcock, Coordinator for Cats Protection Telford & District, says: “This has been a dreadful period of great stress, disillusion and uncertainty. We were so grateful to have the space on Market Street agreed after the threat of complete closure, but we have now had to take the decision to close because safety must come first for ourselves and our customers.”
The market stalls had been used to raise funds to enable Cats Protection Telford & District to rehome around 150 cats each year, funding their vet care as needed.
Since the original stall opened in 2023, the volunteers have supported 300 feral cats through their trap-neuter-vaccinate-release programme and neutered 526 owned cats with a total expenditure of £33,568. They have also provided over 25,670 meals to cats across the local area via the Community Kitty scheme which supports owners who are struggling by providing donated cat food.
The group’s future is uncertain without a market stall from which to raise funds, but they would like to assure supporters they are continuing to look after and rehome the cats currently in care while formulating a plan for the coming year.
Tracy adds: “We cannot believe that it has come to this after struggling through much of last year to find a solution. We are very disappointed that Telford and Wrekin Council were unwilling to let us keep our original market shop, and that the tiny alternative unit they offered was unfit for purpose.
We feel very let down and disheartened especially as our work touches so many areas of the local community, not simply cats and their owners but those who use our stall for clothing, household items or the school uniforms that we donate to Telford Crisis.
It was a very sad day for us when we closed, both personally and as Telford residents.”
