Leicester: Traders at temporary market call for rent cut

Pav Singh is among the traders who said they were disappointed with the temporary market

Traders at Leicester city centre's temporary market are asking for a rent cut after being relocated to a new site.

Stallholders were moved to Green Dragon Square, near the market, in November when a £7.5m Leicester City Council revamp of the site began.

However some traders said the new £400,000 base was not busy enough and they needed support.

The council said traders' rents were cut when they moved to the new site.

Pav Singh, who runs a vape stall, said: "We are not far from the old market but we are still hard to find here. There aren't enough signs telling shoppers where to go and footfall has really dropped.

"We were promised the temporary market would have lots of signs and would be well advertised but that has been really disappointing."

Raj Kara said his stall took no money at all on some days

Mr Singh said he was paying £150 a week for a unit but struggling to cover the costs.

"It's too much for the space we have in this cramped market and we would like the council to support us by reducing the rent," he said.

Stuart Weston, who has a fabric stall, said: "The new location is like dead man's corner. Not enough shoppers come here and a lot of the traders are struggling to earn even minimum wage income.

"We are overpaying on rent and it should be cut by 50%."

Clothes stall trader Rav Kara said: "There are many days when I don't take a penny. I used to have a good business [in the old market] but not now.

"The roof of this temporary market is too small. It doesn't keep the rain off my stock."

The council said the new-look market might open early in 2025

The council said it hoped the market revamp would create a shopping destination "fit for the 21st Century".

Mike Dalzell, the city council's director of tourism, culture and investment, said some signs for the temporary market had been stolen but new ones would be put up in the coming weeks.

He added: "We have had to squeeze everybody in. We gave a commitment we would move all the traders who wanted to move into this space and we did.

"We recognise there are traders on the edge of the space who are impacted when it is wet weather."

He said it was not possible to put up more coverings but said traders were paid a wet weather allowance when it rained.

Mr Dalzell said all traders, who moved to the temporary market, had already been given a significantly-reduced rent compared to rates on the old market.

He added: "Looking at it in the round, we think the footfall has been pretty good and the public reaction to the space has been pretty good."

He said he hoped the revamped market would open in December, but added it might not be open until early in 2025.

The new-look market is due to have dozens of new stalls in a different layout