COUNCIL chiefs have issued a “use it or lose it” ultimatum to shoppers over the future of a struggling market.

Bosses at Southend Council say they will scrap the revamped York Road market unless trade picks up significantly in the next few weeks.

The twice-weekly market was launched to a great fanfare in April as a replacement for the original indoor event, but the council claims the number of shoppers and traders has been dropping steadily since then.

Nigel Holdcroft, the authority’s Tory leader, said: “We desperately want the market to succeed, but we can’t afford to bankroll it. People have got to understand that, if it doesn’t become viable, we’ll have to call time on it.”

For full story, see tomorrow's Echo.