Leeds Kirkgate Market traders, who used to be in a prime spot, are angry that a key passageway has been blocked-off for "six years" for building works.
The disgruntled traders say their rent has continued to increase while footfall has decreased radically. The traders claim they were initially told Butcher’s Row and the area surrounding it would only be blocked off for a matter of months.
Narinder Sharma, 68, owns a curtain stall in a passageway next to the blocked off area – which was once a buzzing passageway populated by shoppers on the move.
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Narinder, who has been trading in the city-centre market since 1983, said his rent is £1,601 – rising about £300 before the blockage. He’s bandied together with a group of five traders to ask for their rents to be reduced – but is at a loss at what to do after exhausting every angle with the council who he claims just aren’t “bothered”.
The grandfather-of-two said: “It’s been blocked like this all the way to Butcher’s Row, they said it would be three to six months – it’s been six years. I’ve been in touch with the council and had meetings and I don’t get anywhere.
“People can’t come through. How are we supposed to pay our rent? It’s made it very difficult even to pay our rents. There’s been a lockdown as well.
“They’re not bothered. It doesn’t matter how many meetings you have, it doesn’t do anything. I’ve been trying everything that we can do, what more can we do?”
'It's too quiet'
Fellow trader Ragbir Singh, who owns a gadget shop right next to the building works, claims footfall has gone down by 80 per cent. He’s described the once prime location as deadly “quiet”.
Ragbir said: “It’s too quiet. Nobody ever comes to my shop. Before it was much better. I’ve had an 80 per cent reduction in business, more than 80 per cent! I feel really bad about it. Five of us have been trying to speak to management and write to the councillors, explaining all this, and nobody is doing anything.”
Ragbir has been trading in the market for 10 years. He said his rent has increased by £200 since the area was blocked off.
A spokesperson for Leeds City Council said it’s in “constant discussion with traders” over ongoing works to improve the market. A spokesperson says their aim is to take renovations to a “modern-day standard”.
A spokesperson for the council said: “Discussions with Mr Sharma and Mr Singh around the impact of works on their units haven’t so far resulted in agreement between the parties.”
The council went on to say the ongoing works have been stalled due to the Covid-19 pandemic, with “difficulties” hiring reliable contractors to carry out the work.
The council went on to say: “Over £1m has been given over the course of the pandemic in rent concessions, over and above any government grants received by traders. Additionally, phase one of the market’s restoration for the 1875 block shops will cost just over £4m with phases two and three still to come. Additionally, during 2021/22, £264,545 was spent on repairs and maintenance for the market.
“The market remains popular with traders and the public, with the indoor market 91.2 per cent occupied (this does not include unlettable units that form part of the 1875 block shop works). Footfall is also rising. In January 2022, 376,792 visited the market and even with the storms, February saw 404,527 people visit.
“There has been no general rent increase at Kirkgate Indoor Market for a number of years, that the council has discounted rental over most of the period of the COVID pandemic and continues to offset service charges to minimise the full impact upon traders.”
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