STAFF at Altrincham Market have been told they are at risk of redundancy.

Market owner Nick Johnson is understood to have issued notices to around 100 staff members at his operations in Altrincham, Manchester and Macclesfield.

He has blamed the knock-on effect of the government reducing the 80 per cent furlough offer for workers on his decision.

Several market stallholders, along with some surrounding shops, have resumed trading this week as lockdown restrictions have been eased.

Mr Johnson said: “We’re gearing up [for opening] and we’re lucky in some ways that we occupy such large buildings that will allow us to bring quite a lot of people back in relative safety, assuming they reduce the minimum distance to one metre.

“We have however had to place approximately 100 staff on notice of redundancy because of the end of 80 per cent furlough and the levels of uncertainty in our sector.

“We hope that we can bring some of them back but that depends on the clarity of the Government’s edicts which at the moment are hopelessly contradictory and unworkable.”

Mr Johnson says he plans to make use of the market’s current food hall, as well as parts of the covered market area for seated dining as and when they are able to reopen in future.

He said his proposals, which would also include making use of the roads around the site and the market’s canopy area on Shaw’s Road, would not mean market stall holders will be moved on.