Great Yarmouth Borough Council have reassured stall holders that plans to move its historic market are not final.

The market place has been in Yarmouth for hundreds of years and traders have expressed their anger at the possibility of it being moved, revealed last week.

Graham Plant, council leader, reassured market traders on Monday that there are 'no firm plans whatsoever' on the proposal.

He said: 'We're at the consultation stage and are asking the general public, traders and people surrounding the market place what they would like to see done.

'There's a lot of misinformation out there that I'm hearing from councillors - not from my group, but independent - making up stories about what has already been decided.

'It's disingenuous and it is causing no end of problems and worries for people on the market.'

Many businesses have been trading on the market for over 50 years including Brewer's Chip Saloon and Barrie's Tea Stall.

Traders accept that the market place needs regenerating but many oppose any proposals which would involve a relocation.

James Rose, who owns Dearno's Market Chips which has been a family business for 50 years, said: 'There needs to be investment but that should be based around improving people's whole experience of being in Yarmouth, not on re-locating the stalls.'

The council is hoping to receive Coastal Community funding of between £1.5 million to £2 million to make the market 'more attractive'.

Mr Plant added: 'We've been told the market has been dying for the last 20 years with numbers going down and people leaving the market.

'It's really bad that when you try to do something good for the town there's other people turning it around and saying you're going to lose your stall.'

Leader of the Labour group at GYBC, Trevor Wainwright, said: 'The investment will hopefully kick-start retailers coming back into our town centre.

'All we're really interested in is bringing Yarmouth into the 21st century.'

The council have made an open invitation for market traders to come into the town hall and discuss any concerns they have.

Mr Plant said: 'It's absolutely crucial for people who work and operate on the market place to talk to us.'