IT seems that the main emphasis of last week’s article about the Makers’ Market was on how the businesses in Knutsford ‘absolutely love it’ (don’t you just hate generalisations); and by contrast, the very real concerns of residents who are anxious about health and safety in the town during these markets seem to have been neatly sidestepped.

There remains a recurrent question that I predict will not go away by attempts to mollify us with Pollyanna-ish enthusing: How will emergency services be able to get through in case of fire breaking out, of an incident in town requiring police attention or of someone being taken seriously ill?

It is not sufficient for the town council to report that these concerns have been voiced by residents.

The question that demands to be asked is this: Has a formal risk assessment been undertaken?

Buildings in multiple occupation in towns have to be rigorously scrutinised for fire safety, and quite rightly so.

Yes, the markets do bring crowds of people into town, and the potential risks to public health and safety in a jam-packed market-place are just as important, if not even graver.

This is in addition to residents’ fears for their health. To date, we have had one letter from the town clerk in the Guardian, in which he begs us to be still by saying that he has ‘spoken to fire services’, and they say that it would be OK.

This is not enough. It is entirely unconvincing, and clearly it has not succeeded in allaying residents’ fears in the slightest.

In the interests of transparency and accountability I call upon the town council to publicise any risk assessments, documents or reports that they may have, regarding the accessibility of emergency help in the town on market days.

Indeed, it is in the public interest that they should now do so. We have a right to insist upon it.

Sue Cussons, Knutsford