'Pressure's up' as traders pack up to leave market

Vivian David has been running her business at Victoria Market for five years

“I feel very depressed because I don’t know what to do."

Those are the words of Vivian David as she packed up to depart from Nottingham's Victoria Market.

She is one of the three traders told to hand over the keys to her shop on the top floor of the shopping centre on Thursday, with the remaining traders being evicted later in March.

The city council first announced its intention to close the market in 2022, and then said it had terminated legal agreements with traders who had breached clauses and “significant rent arrears”.

But Ms David, 53, says the "pressure is going up and up" as she is not sure what is next for her business.

"I'm worried because I invested a lot of money [in my business]," she said. "It's affecting my mental health."

When the closure of the market was first announced, the Labour-run authority said it had been forced to subsidise it for nearly a decade since the centre's previous owners, intu, put service charges up.

The council said any traders who have breached their legal agreements by failing to pay rent have now been formally notified to leave.

Ms David, who runs the Vivi Collection clothing store, said her lawyer contacted the council in August and September to get an update on the situation.

She said she only received an email from the council's solicitor on Thursday stating she "should return all the keys" on the same day.

The email, seen by the Local Democracy reporting Service (LDRS), says she must clear her stock within a reasonable timeframe, and that it must be done by appointment.

“I was waiting for them to respond to my request to see what I could do,” she said.

“The worst thing is they keep on sending you letters, they tell you if you don’t pay your rent, and that we [the council] will take you to court.

“But they are not fulfilling what they promised to do. I wouldn't be in debt if they told me I had to pack my things and they would give me compensation. I should have gone by now."

Ms David said she remained at the market because she was promised "adequate compensation" from the council as part of its previous plans to negotiate an early exit from the market.

Carol Lilley, another trader at the market, said she had claimed her private pension to keep her business going

The authority has about 50 years remaining on its lease of the market.

However, negotiations with centre manager Global Mutual, which took over from intu after its collapse, fell through in June last year.

Just a few months later in December, after the council declared effective bankruptcy, traders were then informed the council had decided to end the lease by summer or autumn 2024.

The closure date failed to materialise again.

Ms David says she has since racked up rent arrears due to low footfall, owing to the council’s poor messaging and the uncertainty surrounding the planned closure.

Carol Lilley, another trader, says she has "put my heart and soul in this market" for 39 years while running her underwear shop.

"And this is what they have done to me," she told the BBC.

The 66-year-old says although she has until March to effectively leave the market, she "can't afford to stay".

"I claimed my private pension to keep me going," she added.

The council said it was "facing substantial financial challenges"

A spokesperson for Nottingham City Council said a meeting was held in September with traders to confirm plans to close the market.

"Unfortunately, several stallholders have breached their legal agreements by failing to pay rent, collectively owing the council over £400,000," they added.

"Any trader with significant unpaid rent has been or will be formally notified to vacate the market.

“With the council facing substantial financial challenges, it’s crucial that we address these outstanding rent issues.

"Additionally, we will be terminating legal agreements with traders who have applicable break clauses to cease their occupancy at the market."