The campaign to keep Watford Market indoors will continue, the town's MP has said.

Hundreds of residents filled Watford Colosseum on Monday, to hear plans for a working group to discuss the future of the market, after recommendations to move stalls into the High Street were withdrawn.

Watford MP Claire Ward was among the audience, and following the meeting, said the fight must continue to retain a covered market in the town.

She said: “The Mayor tried to gloss over the fact that she has done a U-turn over her plan to get rid of the market because of the tremendous opposition she has encountered from traders and shoppers who use the market.

“The fact that the traders managed to collect nearly 9,000 signatures for their protest petition shows how badly she has miscalculated the situation. Her assertion that her change of heart is some form of triumph for local democracy is plainly ridiculous.

"If she had not acted like some 'tin pot dictator' in the first place and properly consulted local people about plans for the re-development of the town centre she would have got a lot more cross-party support.”

“The Mayor certainly didn't convince me that her present change of mind is anything more than a fudge until they get some developer on board . I agree that the market cannot continue on its present site . If she had listened several months ago she would have heard many traders and shoppers saying the same thing."

Conservative prospective parliamentary candidate Richard Harrington also attended the meeting.

He said: “I find it extraordinary that the Mayor spent vast amounts of money on a consultation report and neither her nor her colleagues consulted those affected until after she made her decision.

“However much the Mayor tries to dress it up it shows total arrogance and it’s time for the ruling clique in the council to show some humility.”