User:Laplander1

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At the moment I have an interest in English Market Towns. I have an interest in English & Welsh Law and hope to begin a University course on Law at the beginning of 2008. Therefore I am back at Universiy at the ripe old age of 63! I am a fully qualified teacher of English as a foreign language and read for a Degree at University College London. My background is 40 years in Advertising and Public relations but on retirement, I took a little market stall in the market town where I live and became fascinated by the history and origins of market towns and wish to write a book about such. I do not wish to boast but I actually saved one market (not my own) from closure by stealth by the Council. I was able to do this because I had learned about the Royal Charter. The Council in question was revamping the whole market and placed the market traders in the adjoining car park where, because their customers had nowhere to park their cars, the traders were losing up to 70% of their revenue therefore some had moved to other markets. The Council held a special meeting one evening in an ante-room but traders were not allowed to speak. My husband mentioned the traders plight and the meeting when he visited me one evening so, I begged permission from the Doctors to leave my hospital bed on the future date that had been given in order to attend. Reluctantly they agreed and my husband drove me to the meeting. It transpired that the finish of the refurbishment of the market was to be delayed for another six weeks. I went back to the hospital and asked to borrow a computer. I sent a letter to the local newspaper pointing out that market traders deserved respect because they not only traded in the market towns because of the granting of a Royal Charter but, they were responsible for little places becoming towns and, later, cities. The Editor of the newspaper printed the letter. He is an excellent and responsible person amd likes my sense of humour when I send a funny letter - this one, however, was very serious and it would not surprise me if he informed the Council that he was going to print it. The market was finished so that the traders could begain trading again on the original date that had been set. I have never told them that I found that the delay was deliberate and the market was to be given over to foreign interests. I would have had no objecion to this had it been a matter of sharing but the entrepeneur did not wish to share with the English traders.

3/12/2007 The Council are up to their tricks again but it rather looks as if I can help, thanks to someone called Gruldenswald (on the discussion page) and, yes, of course, Wikipedia. It relates to the distances allowed between markets. Now I must find a reference that I can quote, that I once saw on the Internet. That will help the case I'm sure. It should help another market that is having similar problems too. What with other areas that I am trying to save in a town, and being obliged to do this alone, I often wonder how I ever had the time to earn a living, marry and have two wonderful children! And, now i feel that i must learn at least enough Law to be best able o help in certain areas. My daughter thinks that I will only learn how to help in even more areas and I'm not a nosey busy-body either, I'm independent but quite reserved and prefer to listen to people rather than talk. Laplander1.