Some traders have reacted with dismay to news that Ashford market is staying at its controversial new site on the lower High Street.

Councillors agreed the market should be permanently located on the site after hearing that a council survey claimed traders said the move was not as bad as the stallholders first feared.

But stallholders interviewed by the Kentish Express after an executive meeting decision said they were still losing money compared with their time in the upper High Street because of lost passing trade.

Burger trader Dave Kekewich said: "Trade has picked up slightly but nothing like it was like on our old site.

"The main problem is we now have no passing trade. We were next to major stores but virtually all we have here are banks and charity shops."

Bread seller Sandra Dawson said: "Our takings have dropped since we moved here. We only set up three days a week instead of four because it is not worth it."

Dress seller Manjit Singh said: "I am not happy. Before I used to be in front of Lloyds Bank, but now my takings are 50 per cent down. At Christmas I did a bit better but not as well as in the upper High Street."

But some traders said they did not feel affected.

Handbag trader Abdul Ghafor said everyone was hit by the recession and his upper site pitch had been too out of view.

Greengrocer Marma Moore said she had never traded on the upper site and still felt the lower site provided her with an acceptable living.

Ashford’s market stalls were put together on one site on the lower High Street in April last year for an experimental year.

Portfolio holder Cllr Michael Claughton told the executive meeting that traders who were originally die-hard opponents to the move were now reasonable happy. He said later: "It is becoming more apparent that the market move has not been the disaster predicted by some."

The council said that over the past year the number of traders applying for a licence had increased and attendance had also improved through flexible rents, such as lower charges during leaner times of the year.

Councillors also agreed that improvements were still needed, such as in signage.