Confusion reigns amongst traders over when, or if, Nottingham's Victoria Market will be closing. Stallholders said they had been given details of compensation packages and dates for vacant possession had been agreed.
They have been selling fixtures and fittings, letting staff go and not ordering stock under the impression that they would be forced to shut down. Some had agreed to leave their pitches by February 24, while others were given various dates in March.
But now Nottingham City Council, which leases the market in Victoria Centre, said negotiations are largely completed and it is considering whether the financial impact of closing the market is the best use of taxpayers' money.
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Last April the local authority announced a review into the future of the 50-year-old market, with four possible options. As well as the significant cost of subsidising the market, the council estimated substantial funding would need to be invested for immediate upgrades as well as longer-term improvements to help it operate effectively – meaning the total cost to keep the market running for the rest of the lease was forecast to be over £39m.
Steve Dyer, the owner of Frothy Coffee, told customers he would be closing on Friday (February 24) but now he's not so sure after the council's update. He said: "I haven't a clue what's going on. They haven't emailed us or anything. I should be closing on Friday. It's a horrible, horrible situation to be in.
"I'm supposed to have 20 of these tables going, I've sold them. All my boilers are going, I have surrendered my dish washer because that's on a licence agreement, I've surrendered my card machine. Three staff have left and gone onto other jobs.
"Nobody tells us anything. All we got yesterday was there will be an official statement towards the end of the week from the council. But an official statement by the end of the week will be too late for me.
"It feels like they're trying to wind us down so we'll just turn round and say forget the compensation, we're not bothered about that, let's just go."
The café, which has been at the market since it opened, charges £1.10 for a cup of coffee and £4.60 for a roast dinner. Mr Dyer added: "It's the customers I really feel for. If it wasn't for people like them and the staff I'd just walk away. I've had enough. I just don't need the stress.."
Jean Castle, 79, a regular at Frothy Coffee, said: "I come here three or four times a week. It's friendly and you always get a good welcome. When my husband was alive we used to come on a regular basis and there's a lot of memories.
"I've got to know quite a lot of people on the stalls and I feel sorry for them. It's not fair."
Yolanda Small, co-owner of Ty's Continental Food Store for 36 years, said they had been getting rid of stock with the intention of quitting on March 2. "On Friday we were told that has now been put on hold. We don't know where we stand.
"It's been handled very very shoddily. This has been on-going for a number of years now. After lockdown there were many new traders wanting to come in and the council put a stop to that so it seems like it was their intention to close the market anyway.
"They have pushed through the consultation stages and we were of the assumption we would leave on that date. We had the compensation package put together and given the dates when we would close the business, now I don't know what to say anymore.
"It's a very good business,. we have lots of customers who were so sad we were going to leave. Now we don't know what to do. We don't know whether to restock. We just want the council to make a decision."
A city council spokesperson said: “As part of a review of our operation of the Victoria Indoor Market, we put forward a proposal to end the lease. While our consultation showed strong support for the council’s ongoing running of and investment in Victoria Market, the reality is this is estimated to cost £39m over the next 50 years of the lease.
“As no viable alternative has been identified, officers are expected to recommend we end our lease and operation of the market, helping us to meet our duty to deliver value for money for local taxpayers.
“We have been undertaking confidential discussions with all traders about recommended offers of compensation in the event that the market closes. This engagement has now largely been completed and the council is able to consider the full financial impact of the proposed exit from the market.
“We will now need to undertake further work to consider whether this represents best value for taxpayers before a final decision is taken on the future of the market.”
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