A trader at the under-threat Victoria Centre Market has labelled its possible closure an "embarrassment" after more than 1,500 people signed up to save it. Stallholders launched a petition on Monday, May 16 in a bid to persuade Nottingham City Council to keep the market open, which has now been signed by more than 1,500 people.
Nottinghamshire Live reported the uncertain future of the market back in January, after the council said it needed to save estimated running costs amounting to £39m over the remaining 50 years of the current agreement. Stephen Taylor, who runs Aladdin's Cave and whose family have operated the business for decades, helped launch the petition. He said the support for the petition had been "huge".
"It is a really confusing progress for everyone in the market. But the support given by everyone to the petition has been huge, and we're building up support to keep it open," Mr Taylor said.
"So many people have come in to share their support. I cannot believe how many people have told me about their memories of Aladdin's Cave and the market, to be honest.
"The support has been genuinely moving, the market and Aladdin's Cave is legendary in Nottingham. It's not just people in Nottingham, we are getting people from all over the county.
The market has 200 stall units, but only around 30 are currently occupied. During the first coronavirus lockdown, while the market was closed, rent for the stalls was paused.
Nottingham City Council, which began subsidising the market after the collapse of intu in 2020, revealed it has been costing almost £500,000 to keep it afloat. It launched a consultation on the future of the market on April 25, saying it has been "under-used for years".
Mr Taylor added: "They are making life difficult for people at the market. It feels like there's no effort to save it, we are just being made to leave.
"Without the market the Victoria Centre just ends up being the same as Netherfield Retail Park, same shops and some parking.
"I have not found one person that has come in here and who supports what the council is doing. Every city or big town has an indoor market, when it was run properly it was a day out for people to come here.
"It declined when new management came in around five or six years ago. It would be an embarrassment for the city, the heart of the midlands, to not have a proper market because of the council."
The consultation on the market's future will run until June 5.
Acting Portfolio Holder, Cllr Linda Woodings, said: “In its heyday, Victoria Market was a busy, popular market but sadly although the small number of customers who still use it have great affection for it, it has been under-used for years.
“Increased service charges by the previous owners intu, bringing the market in-line with other retailers, meant the council has had to subsidise its operation for many years, turning it into a financial liability for us – a situation which was worsened by Covid severely impacting traders’ income. The sort of investment that would be needed is something we simply cannot afford when our budgets are being squeezed by other demands and reduced income from Government.”
