A local property owner has called for action in a struggling part of the city.
Arran Bailey, who owns a number of properties in Lister Gate and Bridlesmith Gate on the approach to the partly demolished Broadmarsh Centre says that more should be done to bring life back to the area by helping attract shops and businesses to the location.
He’s calling for business rates to be lowered.
Mr Bailey is managing director of ALB Group, a Nottingham-based property firm. He recently let a unit in Lister Gate to Tiger Community Enterprise CIC but said: “It is currently a very difficult time to find tenants for Lister Gate with the half-demolished Broadmarsh Shopping Centre and the high rateable values on the street.”
He added: “The council should be offering free or lower rates in the area to encourage business to move down there while the works continue at Broadmarsh or the properties on the street to be revalued as soon as possible, due to the decline of the area.
“As an example we have let the unit at 14 percent of the rateable value of the property which quite clearly shows how incorrect the rateable values are in Nottingham City Centre.”
A city council says that while the council collects business rates it doesn’t set the figures.
In response the Arran’s points, Portfolio Holder for Skills, Growth and Economic Development, Cllr Rebecca Langton, said: “Business rates are set by the Government’s Valuation Office and so changing these rates is not something councils have any control over. However, we do provide support to new retail operators coming to the city, as we have done in the case of the new unit that’s due to open in Listergate.
"We will continue to deliver discretionary grants and other support to businesses across the city."
Nottingham residents agreed the area needed support.
Mary Murphy, 82 from Ruddington, said: “The shops in Lister Gate need updating. They need to do something down here so that it gives people a welcoming feel, as it is a beautiful city but with areas like this it doesn’t sell itself”.
“For people coming in from the railway station if they come through here it is a very bad impression of the city”.
Lee Adams, 54, from Bestwood Village added: "It has lost its soul. We have lovely buildings down here that have so much potential”.
While Pete Allen, 24 who works in Weavers Wines added: “We just need more quality shops down here”.
Students, Ria Barber, 19, and Maddy Virgo, 19, said that there is so much room to expand in Lister Gate.
Ms Barber added “There is lots of open space and empty shops down here and it is all pedestrianised so it would be nice to see a few nice cafes, shops and bars down here”.
Taking a different tack on what the area needed was Simon Gongue, 57. He said “I think Lister Gate should have a big supermarket down here and some sports shops, as we haven’t got many in town”.
Mitchell Poyzer, 26, a retail manger from Beeston was optimistic that the Broad Marsh re-development would change Lister Gate for the better.
He said: “As soon as the Broad Marsh is done and whatever they decide to turn it into, it is going to look great down here. Venues that rely on bookings such as restaurants seem to be doing well at the moment, so I think a few of them could do well down here”.
“However, ones that rely on footfall for the time being I think would struggle down here”.
Plans for the new Broad Marsh were unveiled in the summer and including the creation a "green-heart" to the city including a baby oak tree, the return of lost streets, new housing businesses and a hotel.
Cllr Langton said: “A new vision has been developed for the Broad Marsh site which clearly will take some time to come full fruition, but more widely it is a part of the city which is already undergoing a huge transformation. Improvements include substantially upgraded pedestrian-friendly streets and spaces, providing better links between the station and Carrington Street and through to Listergate via a new temporary walkway with art on the walls.
“The new Broad Marsh car park has re-opened, the bus station will open this year, and we are working on the plans to open the new Central library in the building, as well as carrying out improvements to shop fronts on Carrington Street. All of this, along with the new college hub, HMRC moving into Unity Square and a new office development on Station Street, will create a busier, vibrant part of the city, better connected to the core of the city.”
In the meantime though, Alan Pearson, a director at commercial property agent, FHP, confirmed that businesses with second and third shops who had been hit by a downturn in trade during the pandemic had seen closing branches in this area of town as an easy option following the demolition of the Broadmarsh and said that rents have had to be set significantly lower as a result.
He said: "Rates were set back in 2015 and now we are in a very different position. They not due to be reappraised until next April."
A Valuation Office Agency (VOA) spokesperson confirmed: “Local councils calculate business rates using the rateable value of a property. When setting rateable value the VOA looks at a wide range of property information including rental details, location and physical attributes.
“The current 2017 rating lists are based on values as of 1 April 2015 - this date is set in legislation. The next revaluation is underway and will come into force on 1 April 2023, based on values as of 1 April 2021 and reflecting any changes in the market since 2015.”
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