TRADERS from the top of Haverfordwest have described news that Market Street will remain closed to traffic until at least next year as pathetic.

With businesses losing 30% of trade, estimated at £1.5 million, during the past year, the bureaucratic wranglings between the owner of derelict Commerce House, Cadw, Pembrokeshire County Council and the National Assembly mean a re-opening in early 2005 would be the best case scenario.

Council director of planning, Roger Barrett-Evans, told a heated crisis meeting last Thursday that work could only begin if one of the three tenders to demolish Commerce House, due on August 20th, was 'at an acceptable level'.

Mr Barrett-Evans failed to explain what was an acceptable level or what would happen should the tenders not meet his criteria.

"I was very disappointed with the meeting," said chairman of Top Town Traders Steve Hopkin. "If this was Picton Place or Victoria Place I do not believe we would still be in this situation. It is pathetic.

"The only thing we can do is keep reminding people that Market Street and the top of town remain open."

With Market Street having been blocked to traffic for almost 12 months now, worried traders have seen little or no progress made to clear the route.

They urged Mr Barrett-Evans to push the council to fund the demolition, but were told the authority was unwilling to do so without a developer in place to pay the costs, already at over £100,000.

The meeting heard no such developer was on hand as the 14th century remains at the building's rear meant the Assembly would allow only a partial demolition - severely limiting any future development.

The situation is further complicated as Commerce House is owned by a 'shell' company whose only asset is the dilapidated building.

TRADERS at Thursday's meeting were infuriated by what they described as the condescending attitude of the council's deputy leader and its director of planning.

Roger Barrett-Evans comments that he would rather be elsewhere and if traders thought they could do his job better they should have a go did little to improve matters.

When asked if the council could fund demolition through its reserves, deputy leader Councillor John Allen-Mirehouse, responsible for economic development and regeneration, asked if he should raid the education budget.

However on Monday, Cllr Allen-Mirehouse defended his comments. "The council is very much piggy-in-the-middle with the owners and shopkeepers on one side and Cadw on the other," he said.

"Unfortunately, some of those present seemed to be more concerned with recriminations about things that have happened over the past 12 months than about working towards a solution."

"We have great sympathy for the traders and that is why the county council has done everything possible to solve this problem, and we shall continue to do so."