MADAM,

I’d like to reply to L J Smith’s comments about the Friday market in Monmouth {‘Time for fresh thinking?’ 29th July).

I am a trader and yes I was one of the traders working last Friday. We were soaked as the relentless rain fell when we were setting up, when we were trading and when we were dismantling our stall.

We were there because we still had customers coming to buy from us who we would not want to let down but we quite understood why a lot of our colleagues did not turn up in that weather.

Stock is expensive and keeping it in good order means that at times they cannot trade. We are advertising for new stalls because we want to keep an interesting mix on offer to the people of Monmouth. If anyone is in doubt about customers using the market, they should be here to view the queue of them waiting for plants first thing in the morning and then fruit, vegetables and eggs later.

We love working at the market and the people who come to visit, swap, gossip and buy.

Caroline Hicks

(Ross on Wye)