Traders' angry as market future remains unresolved

John Easom (second left, pictured with other traders) heavily criticised the city council

Traders at a Nottingham market have criticised the city council as negotiations over the site's future hit delays.

The authority announced last year it would look to end its lease on the Victoria Centre Market early due to costs.

At a meeting on Thursday traders were told the market would remain open for now with new traders to be accepted on short-term licences.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service said there were gasps of shock when officers said new traders would be welcomed.

'Unavoidably protracted'

John Easom, of Goldbank Jewellers, said the council had shown an “inability to run anything”.

Ita O’Donovan, a senior council officer, said: “We will work with traders and reps to promote and advertise the market.

“We simply cannot confirm a time-line for the overall resolution.”

In a statement, Labour council leader David Mellen said the authority "will need to assess the implications of this outcome".

“We know that traders are disappointed about the process that has led to the current position," he said.

“We have apologised to them for the unavoidably protracted nature of these complex negotiations and the impact this has had on them."

Joe Harrison, chief executive of the National Market Traders Federation, who attended the meeting, said traders had already "incurred considerable costs", adding he had “never known anything like it before”.