BURNLEY'S Market Hall could be under threat after residents were warned to ‘use it or lose it’.

Council chiefs have agreed to lower rent levels and carry out extra promotional work in a bid to save the town’s market.

A report by the council’s head of facilities management, Colin Hill, spells out the need for the council and tenants to work together is now more important than ever.

The report also carries a warning that if existing traders leave, if new traders cannot be brought in and if visitor numbers continue to fall, then the council will have to be prepared to ‘take a harder line on future market provision’.

An extensive study of the markets carried out by consultants came up with three options for the future of the market, costing between £3million and £6million, and said ‘doing nothing was not an option’.

Those options included remodelling the existing premises, relocating to the ground floor and building a new market hall.

As part of a deal for lower rents traders will be expected to bring new products to the market, agree to phased rent deals, more flexible trading licenses, as well as extra promotional work and encouraging more themed use of the open market.

Coun Shah Hussain, the council’s executive member for regeneration and economic development, said: “In the current financial climate, spending that kind of money with no guarantee that it would secure the future of the market hall isn’t something we’re prepared to do.

“Like every other market in the country it faces tough competition from pound shops and cut-price supermarkets and Burnley Market Hall has to find its own unique selling point that brings customers through the doors.

“It’s got to the point where it’s a matter of ‘use it or lose it’.

“That’s why we want to look at ways of rejuvenating the market hall, lowering rents to attract new traders in and support existing ones, and further promoting the excellent value for money the markets offer to get more shoppers through the doors.

The decision on the future of the market hall will be made by the council’s executive on September 23.