'Kids have been crying as council shut my toy shop'

A market trader has seen his stall selling toys closed down two weeks before Christmas, after nearly 40 years.

David Taylor who runs Dave's Toys in Kirkby Market in Merseyside, said he was issued with a termination notice by Knowsley Council for his stall last week.

He told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) it had "knocked the wind out of me". He said: "This is a life's work that I'm taking down. You can't pick a worse time to be kicked off the market for a toy shop."

Knowsley Council said the decision to terminate the trading license was for breaching a Code of Practice and expected standards of behaviour.

Knowsley Council purchased land and shops in Kirkby town centre in a £43m deal in 2019, and also manage the market.

The LDRS understood Mr Taylor was served the termination notice after his staff and his stall became embroiled in a dispute with another trader with claims on both sides of the argument, with witnesses to corroborate them.

There was some disquiet about how the investigation was handled by the management.

Mr Taylor said: "I just can't understand it. The management just phoned me and said they have terminated my licence, just like that."

A council spokesperson said: "Following a series of incidents involving the proprietor and an employee of Dave's Toy Shop at Kirkby Market, the council has taken the decision to terminate the trading license for this stall.

"All traders at Kirkby Market are bound by a Code of Practice which clearly sets out regulations and expectations for traders and their employees, including standards of behaviour.

"As there has been more than one serious breach... involving Mr Taylor and his employees in the past few months, his trading licence has been reviewed and terminated in line with processes set out in the Code of Practice.

"We do not take the suspension or termination of a trading licence lightly, but as operators of the market, the council has a duty of care to safeguard all traders, members of the public and our own staff."

The LDRS understands there was one other, separate incident, reported earlier this year and involved a dispute between Mr Taylor and the management about the use of space around his stall, resulting in a warning notice being issued.

Mr Taylor said: "To take the nuclear option, and take away my livelihood away over an argument, after 30-odd years, I can't tell you how I'm feeling, I can't put it into words.

"You can't be on 37 years on a market and be a trouble-causer, especially a toy store... you wouldn't survive."

The LDRS received an email from another trader, who wanted to remain anonymous, claiming traders and customers were "baffled and disgusted" and believed further investigation was needed.

They said Mr Taylor was "loved and adored by all his customers and cared and respected by his fellow traders".

"To take his business away from him at Christmas time is deplorable and cruel," they added.

Mr Taylor said: "A lot of people have messaged us showing support because they said [the shop] was such a good thing for the community.

"I feel really bad about it all, and little kids have come in crying and asking why we're not going to be here anymore."

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