Alès Market Halls: “If there is a health risk I will close it”, says Mayor Max Roustan

Max Roustan : « Ils sont emmerdés, c’est malheureux. » Midi Libre – ALEXIS BETHUNE

Destinataire de la pétition des étaliers des halles soumis à des problèmes liés aux fortes chaleurs, le maire d’Alès apporte sans détours sa vision de la situation, et n’exclut pas une fermeture provisoire.

“I don't see why they're making a petition because I go there every day. They should have told me first. When you have courage, that's what you do.”

The recipient of the petition from the stallholders of the market halls concerning working in the heat (read above), the mayor of Alès reacts by stressing, first, that the document was given last Saturday to his first deputy Christophe Rivenq “in a violent and not positive manner”. “To me, they wouldn't have done it. It should be remembered that the new halls of the Abbey are a wish of the people of Alès included in the States General of the heart of the city. We had two solutions. Either we do as in Nîmes: we close. Or we find another place, because we are concerned about not losing customers. We looked for solutions. And we cleared this “rat hole” as they called it, to make something accessible and bright. It's 800,000 euros. all that."

Read also: Fed up and angry among several stallholders at the Alès market halls, subjected to the stifling heat

"We're closing the market halls for 15 days and we're not talking about it anymore"

On the heart of the problem, "it's true that it's annoying, we had thought about the days of great cold, but not in the heat”. Max Roustan says he understands the hardship experienced by shopkeepers, “they are screwed, it's unfortunate”, but asserts “not having 36 solutions. It is impossible today to air-condition the parking lot. We tried. They say it, there is a health risk. And if there is a health risk I will close it. I have to. If I really have the temperature officially checked, and if it exceeds the authorized degrees, I will close it. I can't do otherwise. I don't want customers to leave with fish or meat rotten from the heat. If that's all it is, we will close the market halls for the 15 days of heatwave and we will not talk about it anymore. They will take their holidays.”

A decision that he will only make after consulting the president of the market halls. “He'll say yes, he'll say no. I'll respect that. But it mustn't drag on! If tomorrow two or four of them end up in hospital for poisoning, then we're responsible.”

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