THE centrepiece of Southampton's Christmas celebrations is under threat because of objections from two city centre shops.

A German market, due to open in Above Bar on Saturday, may have to be scrapped after music giant HMV and sportswear chain Footlocker refused to let stalls set up in front of their premises.

Even if the month-long event goes ahead if would have to be scaled down from the original plan revealed by the Daily Echo in August.

Southampton's leisure boss Councillor Peter Wakeford said that Bournemouth had already agreed to stage a German market this year.

He said: "What is wrong with people in Southampton? Where is their vision? We are taking Southampton forward and giving it a bit of life. It is disappointing to find some people still can't support that."

Plans to stage a German market, complete with carousel and stalls selling typical German foods such as bratwurst sausages and German beers and wines, were given the green light by city leisure chiefs back in August.

It is due to form the cornerstone of the city's Christmas celebrations - providing a much needed boost for city centre traders in the run-up to Christmas - and will remain in place until December 22.

The market has received backing from the majority of city centre businesses including Virgin, Woolworths and travel firm Lunn Poly.

But HMV and Footlocker object to the market stalls being placed outside their stores, saying they would damage trade.

In spite of last-ditch moves by city centre managers to reduce the number of stalls and shift the carousel from outside Footlocker to outside the Halifax, both firms are still intent on objecting to the scheme.

City leisure bosses were set to hold emergency talks today to try and sort out the wrangle.

Both HMV and Footlocker have been asked to attend this afternoon's meeting with members of the city's cabinet.

City council leader Councillor Adrian Vinson said he was "very disappointed" by the attitude ofthe two stores.

He added that the council was likely to agree to scale down the market rather than scrap the idea altogether.

A spokesman for HMV said that pavement work outside the store had affected trade during the summer and the location of the German market would be a "double whammy" for the shop.

No one from Footlocker was available for comment.