Northampton's market traders warn that moving them will kill off the market for good

• Watch Rebecca Haworth's report

Market traders in Northampton say their livelihoods are at risk after being forced to move.

Plans to give the town's Market Square a multi-million pound makeover got the go-ahead on Tuesday, meaning stall holders will have to temporarily move to Commercial Street, on the outskirts of the town.

More than 15,000 people have signed a petition to stop the move from a location the market has occupied since 1235, but the council believes it will be beneficial for the town.

Trader Dave Dunkley, who runs a fruit and veg stall and has worked on the market on and off for 20 years, said he though it was a mistake.

He said: "We're not happy about it at all. I actually think moving us down to where they're going to move us will probably finish us off.

"I don't think we will get the footfall down there and that's very, very sad.

"This was once the biggest market town in Europe and take a look around now. They're destroying the town centre."

Eamonn 'Fitzy' Fitzpatrick, who has worked on the market for 60 years, was one of the traders gathering signatures to protest the move.

He said: "They want to move us down there for two years - we won't last two minutes down there.

"Nobody wants to go up that hill. They call it cardiac hill round here.

"I was shocked and I was angry [at the meeting] last night. I couldn't believe they just discarded the petition and didn't even ask any questions about it.

"It's been my whole life, here. I want to see this market survive for the people of Northampton because it is a real gem."

West Northamptonshire Council said the move was necessary for the £8.4m development.

Council bosses said they were hoping to attract a more diverse mix of people into the town, with new cafes, paving, a fountain and fixed market stalls.

The work will take two years to complete and the council has promised free rent for market stall holders during that time - and said it would do all it could to encourage people to visit Commercial Street.

Conservative councillor Daniel Lister said: "We've already been working with the bus providers to ensure that people can get there easily so it's very well signposted from all of the bus stops.

"We're looking at getting shops closer to Commercial Street so people don't have to walk any further than they do now... We're looking at whether we can provide free parking to market traders and people using the market."ITV News Anglia asked shoppers in Northampton if they would visit the new temporary market in Commercial Street.

One woman said: "No, it's too far to go and my friend is poorly and we won't be able to make it."

Another woman said: "I think it'll be inaccessible for people to get to it."

And a third woman said: "It's a lot easier for people to just come here to the square. If it's moved then the distance might be an issue."

Lesley McDonald has worked on the market for 24 years. It's where she met her husband.

She said: "I've never been happy about it. The market has been here for nearly 800 years and it's all I know. "But I do understand something has to be done with the town centre because it has just gone down and down. "So I'm not happy about moving, but I'll go down there and give it a go."

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