THE man who has introduced Thursday and Sunday markets to Lydney says posters on lamp posts, trees and buildings throughout the Forest are trying to make him look bad.
"I have only put them in the places I agreed with Lydney Town Council," said Terry Marx.
"I haven't found out who has been putting them everywhere but apparently a lot of people are upset about it.
"I have heard that the other markets and car boot sales in Forest towns have been angry too about me organising the markets.
"I agreed with the town council that I would only put them up where we agreed, including some directional posters at the edge of town and on the roundabout which were bolted to poles. I agreed there would be removed after but when I went to look for them some had gone.
"I think somebody might be trying to give me a bad name."
Mr Marx said that his first markets and car boot sales on Thursdays and Sundays in the car park beside Somerfields, where the fair was held, had been an "absolute" success.
"I had between 20 and 30 stalls and lots of car boot sellers. I think the townspeople really enjoyed it – they certainly supported it well," he said,
"I am running it as an open event – some markets you go to now are run by just a few traders and it's a closed shop. Anyone can get a pitch in my markets."
He said he would continue to put up posters only in agreed spots like some bus shelters and noticeboards, but he hoped the campaign to blacken his name would stop.
"I am certainly not in competition with any other traders – my markets are mid-week and on Sunday when there aren't any other markets.
"But the numbers of people who are turning up show just how popular this is.
"To the people who are upset by the posters all over the Forest I can only apologise for hurting their feelings – but it is not me that is doing it."