the discontent of the itinerant merchants of the Grand Mirail
The itinerant merchants of Grand Mirail are asking for a new market to be set up in the Basso Cambo district in Toulouse. If the town hall recorded its creation in March 2021, it has still not seen the light of day. These itinerant traders feel they have been left behind.
They intend to be heard. The itinerant merchants of Grand Mirail demand the creation of an open market on Saturdays in the Basso Cambo district in Toulouse for over a year and a half. “There weren’t any in the Grand Mirail that day. Itinerant traders must therefore go elsewhere, in particular to Montauban, because the markets of the hypercentre do not correspond to our clientele”, explains Sofiane Belkhodja, delegate of itinerant traders of the Grand Mirail.
In March 2021, the Toulouse city council had acted the creation of this new food and non-food market on the parking place Edouard Bouillères, in Basso Cambo. However, it still has not seen the light of day. This is precisely what itinerant traders denounce.
Itinerant traders say they are left behind
“The town hall focuses only on the hypercentre. It has in fact already set up new markets in the center although their creation had been recorded well after that of the market in Basso Cambo”, underlines Sofiane Belkhodja. The new market in Square Héraclès, whose creation was decided in December 2021, actually saw the light of day last May. This is easily explained for Jean-Jacques Bolzan.
The deputy mayor in charge of covered and open-air markets explains: “Setting up this market in Basso Cambo is complicated. We must take into account the problem of parking and future works in the neighborhood. We need to find the ideal location so that we don’t have to move it in two years. While the Héraclès market was able to be done quickly because there is no parking there. »
The day on which this new market is held is also a problem
Apart from its location, the day of holding this market is also a problem. It is not yet acted. The new market in Basso Cambo could therefore be held on Sundays and not Saturdays. Which does not suit the itinerant merchants of Grand Mirail. “On Sunday, we are already on the Allées Jules Guesde market. We cannot substitute it for another,” says the delegate.
If Jean-Jacques Bolzan ensures “to work with the mayor of the district and the delegates of the traders, in particular” to set up this market, the itinerant merchants of Grand Mirail declare that they are “not being listened to” by the deputy mayor. “He consults us, but does not take into account what we say. It’s starting to get heavy. We would like to be taken into consideration,” says Sofiane Belkhodja.
They denounce the “authoritarian policy” of the town hall of Toulouse
Tired of asking the deputy mayor in charge of the covered and open-air markets, the itinerant traders of the Grand Miral say to themselves today totally helpless in the face of the “authoritarian policy” of the town hall From toulouse. “We are fed up and don’t know what to do. We have no rights and only duties towards the municipality”, denounces Sofiane Belkhodja.
But the deputy mayor in charge of covered and open-air markets wants to reassure them: “We have not lost sight of the creation of this new market in Basso Cambo. It will happen since we decided it in the city council. And we are working to set up this market as soon as possible because we know that there is a real need in the neighborhood. But there are several actors and issues to consider. »