Market boss vows to fight closure plan

The director of an East Yorkshire market has vowed to do everything he can to stop it closing.

Skirlington Market on Hornsea Road, Skipsea, was founded nearly 40 years ago, but traders have been told to vacate the site to make way for a potential extension to a holiday park.

Tom Parry, who runs the market, said traders would be “gutted” as some of them had been there for more than 30 years and it was a community with a “family-type feeling”.

Dermot King, chief operating officer at Unity Holidays, which bought the land last year, said it was “not a decision we have taken lightly”.

Unity Holidays said it had recently submitted plans for a new swimming pool and sun deck, which would take its total investment in the park to beyond £10m if approved by East Riding of Yorkshire Council.

Skirlington Market is on the site of Skirlington Coast – a family holiday park which was bought by Unity Holidays last year.

Mr Parry said he received a call on Thursday from the company telling him the market would need to vacate the site.

“I couldn’t process it because I really didn’t believe that they would get rid of us,” he said.

Mr Parry said he had hoped the company would invest in the market.

He added: “We’ll do everything in our power to fight the planning, that’s our only hope.”

Mr King acknowledged asking the market to vacate would “disappoint both the operators and their customers”.

But he added: “Skirlington Coast is a family holiday park, and we feel the land is better used to offer more to our owners and holidaymakers.

“It is our belief that by continuing to find ways to improve Skirlington Coast, we can also help drive greater footfall to our neighbours in the likes of Bridlington and Hornsea.”

Mr King said the plans would lead to more employment and “support more local businesses”.