A battery shop stall owner has hit out at the “sad decline” of Waltham Abbey market, following his departure after 21 years.

The battery stall, which also sells watches and repairs at discount rates, will continue to sell at Epping and Hoddesdon markets on Mondays and Wednesdays, but the owner claims there is “no money left” in Waltham Abbey’s Market Square.

Nick Harvey remembers the “thriving” 1993 market place he set up his eight foot square stand in and the huge range of products that could be found.

He said: “It all changed when Tesco came in. All the market traders warned the district council that people would stop coming to the market and we were proved right.

“All [the council] wanted was development on a derelict site and a new petrol station they did not care what would happen to the market.

“For the last three years I have done badly. It is a sad decline but there is no money in it anymore.

“Epping is a totally different market place right on the high street, the parking is better, it is incomparable.

"These days everyone has an obsession for the cheapest items over quality products, but my watch batteries will last longer and will be better for the watch."

Bryn Elliott, Waltham Abbey market manager, said Waltham Abbey was "suffering" but the situation is dire across the market world.

He said: "The resignation of Nick was a complete surprise, but the causes were no surprise at all and I should have seen it coming.

"The trading problems in Waltham Abbey are not unique and can of course be laid at the door of changes in the way people shop.

“It has been bad since Tesco opened but now there is an often crowded Lidl also.

"Shoppers have the choice of a warm and cosy supermarket or a wet and windy market and it is no competition really."