A new survey looking at plans to transform the Grand Parade and Guildhall Market has been launched amid fears from some traders.
The pressure group Small Business Focus has launched the survey on its website to gauge views on Bath and North East Somerset Council's plans to create a new eating quarter at the colonnades and refurbish the market, as well as appoint a market operator.
The survey also canvasses opinion on whether or not the market should be made a tourist destination or if it should remain for the people of Bath.
SBF chairman Angela Ladd said the organisation got involved following a request by some its members concerned about the changes being proposed, especially the idea that traders will be moved into the Guildhall car park while the revamp is carried out.
She said: "What we don't like is the unwillingness to provide full details.
"Moving the traders into the car park in January is financially the best possible time because it's low season but from the point of view of comfort and conditions, it's the worst possible time to be out there.
"We'd like to know what they are planning on doing the nine months they are going to be in the car park.
"My fear is they want to turn it into a tourist destination. The market was set up for the people of Bath. We don't mind it being made a bit swankier, but we'd like to know what they are going to do before the traders give their support."
However, Mike Watts, spokesman for the Guildhall Market Traders' Association, said despite some worries the plans were welcomed.
He said: "The market has gone through the doldrums through the years but at the moment it has never looked better, it's clean and tidy with a great mix of businesses. Some businesses have been in the same family for 80 years. The thought that we might have to move out whilst the market is renovated into new style stalls is a bit of a shock.
"However, the councillors are constantly reassuring us there's no underhanded move to get everyone out of the market.
"They want to rejuvenate it and create more footfall. If we do move out, first priority will be given to traders to come back in.
"We are very positive about it. I think a group of the traders are going to liaise very closely with the council over what's going to happen."
Mr Watts added the area causing the most concern was the introduction of a new marker operator.
He said: "This is the problem - they want to bring in a developer to develop the whole scheme both the colonnades and the renovations with the market and they want to appoint a market operator so basically we won't be immediate tenants of the council and that does give us a bit of concern. Things might change but we won't know until we get going on it."
A spokesman for the council said its plans for the Grand Parade and Undercroft offered a fantastic opportunity to regenerate some of Bath's key heritage assets in the city centre.
He said: "One of those is the Guildhall Market where the council wants to enhance the building and provide an outside market on the existing car park to provide a wider range of market offer as an inspiring location where present and future traders can attract the widest possible source of custom, including local people and visitors to the city.
"To achieve this, the council will be looking for a market operator to develop the market under licence. The operator would collect rents and be expected to enhance and develop the market in line with our expectations. We would retain the freehold – there will be no sale of the Guildhall Market to any developer and, in any case, legal covenants prevent us from doing so. Our policy of keeping the Guildhall Market traders informed of progress on the project through face-to-face meetings will continue."
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