The shock closure of a market in Glasgow has baffled shoppers as independent traders were forced to close their businesses.

On Wednesday, customers queued up to read notices on the shutters of the Market Village at The Forge Shopping Centre in the East End.

Glasgow Times:

We spoke to members of the community who ‘didn’t have a clue’ about the closures and were ‘devastated’ by the loss of the local businesses.

One shopper we spoke to had been putting down money for a service at one of the vendors and was worried about what might happen with their deposits.

Everyone we spoke to was in shock about the closures and how something like this could happen so close to Christmas, sharing their concern for the business owners themselves.

Glasgow Times:

Maureen Reilly, from Carntyne, said: “My hairdresser is in there, and there’s other people, other units and businesses.”

The 76-year-old told the Glasgow Times she was alarmed that many of the traders still had products in the shops, such as a jewellery store.

She said: “It’s terrible, it’s a shame.

“It was handy, a lot of people used it, so it will be missed.”

Glasgow Times:

Michaela Cruickshanks, 31, also from Carntyne, said she found out about the closure on the Facebook page of one of the traders, Pistol Piercing.

The post announcing the closure of the business at 8pm on Monday received hundreds of comments, shares, and reactions as people shared their concerns.

Michaela said: “It was a shock. Especially in the East End of Glasgow, and there are dozens of businesses in there, local businesses.”

Michaela’s friend also owned a shop in the market and was worried about what the news would mean for the boutique.

She said: “It’s going to affect a lot of businesses and it will be a shame because people will be used to going in there to get their shopping, picking up wee bits and bobs.

“It’s a shame, it will definitely be missed, especially with the older generation.”

Glasgow Times:

Margaret Hughan, from Parkhead, had come to the Forge to get her weekly shopping at the market and couldn’t believe it was shut.

The 66-year-old said: “No one had a clue. We just came in and it was closed.

“It’s the first time I’ve seen it, and everybody is standing outside waiting to go in. They think it’s going to open and it’s not.

“It’s devastating, absolutely devastating.

“I get fish for my mum there every week, and that’s gone.”

Glasgow Times:

Maureen McMillan, 66, from Mount Vernon, said some of the vendors ran clubs and now customers were worried about the fate of money they had put into it.

She said: “It has been a big shock, I think, because some of the stalls in there run clubs and people have put their money into it.

“Now they don’t know what will happen. They know they’ll get it back but they don’t quite know how they’re doing that."

Maureen said some people have been directed to contact traders on Facebook, which is a struggle for customers that don’t use social media.

She added: “I think it’s a shame for the stallholders. It's their business, it’s their income that’s been put at risk.”

The Market Village has been contacted for comment.

In response to the closure, a spokesperson for The Forge Shopping Centre said: "This came as a shock to us also at 5pm on Monday.

"The centre is working hard to house as many of the retailers as we can and as quick as we can to have these traders open for the Christmas trade.

"There is a lot of work going on behind the scenes at the moment, and we hope to be able to announce where these retailers can trade from in coming days."