Market reopens after traders locked out

Thotshiwe Ncube runs African clothing store Choice Selectthoe

A popular market hall has reopened just over a month after falling into administration.

The former Market Village, based at the One Stop shopping centre in Perry Barr, Birmingham, had shut on 12 January leaving stallholders unable to access the site.

The hall's operator had gone out of business, leaving traders worried about their futures.

However, One Stop Shopping has announced the venue, now called The Market, was open to the public from Tuesday.

One Stop Management, which runs the shopping centre where the market is based, said: "Since being alerted to the Market Village's immediate and unforeseen closure, we have worked tirelessly behind the scenes to get to a point of re-opening.

"We know the importance that both the traders and our local shoppers place on the market.

"We look forward to welcoming back the vibrancy of the market and supporting the community-based operators as they reopen."

At the time of its closure, stallholders complained they felt in limbo after being given a few hours to vacate the site, leaving some unable to recover expensive stock and others unsure how they would pay their bills.

Ms Ncube's store was one of many that welcomed customers on Tuesday

Thotshiwe Ncube, who runs an African clothing store called Choice Selectthoe, said the closure affected her mental health.

She told BBC Radio WM: "My work is like therapy for me. Those days were really stressful for me, I'm so glad to be back.

"When it shut down they gave us just five hours to clear our things, it made me unwell and ill for four weeks."

The dressmaker added she was given just one day of notice the hall was going to reopen.

Paramjit Bains runs a beauty and accessories shop called Beauty Box

Paramjit Bains, who has been self-employed for 23 years, runs beauty and accessories shop Beauty Box.

"We are glad to be back open, it was a nightmare for the last six weeks," she said.

"For the first two weeks I didn't know what to do, I couldn't sleep or eat not knowing what was going to happen."