In Rue Neuve-des-Marchés, discontent is growing among shopkeepers who are fed up

La colère gronde chez les professionnels du cœur de ville. A.M. – ALAIN MENDEZ

Ils dénoncent avec des collègues d’artères voisines des fermetures du centre-ville le samedi, et le peu de considération et d’écoute de la mairie.

“They take care of the associations but not of us. We are the forgotten ones, except for paying taxes and the CFE, and submitting to the municipal will” indicate Françoise (Chinez-Chic) Cyrille (Sport 2000), Véronique (Mode Liberty's) and Céline (La Feuille bookstore) while listing the names of their colleagues from rue Neuve-des-Marchés and neighboring streets who are in the same state of mind. A total of fifteen people decided to make themselves heard after a traffic closure on Saturday, January 11, on the occasion of the anniversary of one of their shops.

Parking and cleanliness

Enough to make some people jump, already very angry about these pedestrianizations of the center during festive events.

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“It's the straw that broke the camel's back. It confirms the lack of consideration and respect that we are victims of, says Françoise. That day, we found ourselves faced with a fait accompli. We're fed up, it's not because there is no association of traders that we should be left aside and that we don't have a say.” And to mention the cleanliness that leaves something to be desired or a cruel lack of parking.

“We ask for it and on the contrary it is taken away from us, not to mention the regular closures of parking lots during events that are increasingly numerous throughout the year.” notes Cyrille. “There have been several meetings where we've been told about great projects, which have little to do with us. We want simple things, something concrete like a clean street or racks for bikes for example” adds Céline.

Gaëlle Lévêque: “It would be good to have a merchants' association”

"We closed the street on January 11 for security reasons, but it turned out that there were far fewer people than announced. at the shopkeeper's who was celebrating his shop's anniversary” notes Gaëlle Lévêque, the mayor of Lodève.

"The street was only closed two Saturdays, with the Christmas parade and entertainment. If we had done nothing, we would have been criticized for that too. We are trying to bring people into the heart of the city, to show that there is a significant commercial offering” adds the elected official who recognizes parking problems in the lower part of the city, and cleanliness. “A reorganization is underway, with our limited means even if cleanliness also depends on the civic-mindedness of all. I think it would be good to have an association of traders and interlocutors with whom it would be more practical to exchange, for greater efficiency."

“We also exist”

“Now the festivities no longer take place on Sundays but on Saturdays, the days when we do best. We are held hostage. Of course we bring people but it does not benefit the vast majority, explains Véronique. We just want to work normally, remind people that we exist and tell the town hall that if it loves the heart of the city, we must help you too.”

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