Covid-19: Talks sought over Liverpool council's market rent demands

St John's Market under went a £2.5m refurbishment three years ago

Market traders have called for negotiations over a council's demands for rent arrears during coronavirus restrictions.

Liverpool City Council has taken steps to collect payments backdated to August 2020 from St John's Market stallholders.

Traders have said they are angry with the "bullying" rent demands of up to £9,000 as they have not been able to trade viably due to Covid-19.

The council said it could not comment.

Colin Laphan, chairman of St John's Market Traders Association, said: "I've had traders on the phone to me all week in tears some haven't traded for 12 months and they are struggling to pay food bills and bills for their own home."

Some traders are facing charges from £2,500 to £9,000, he said, and the association via a solicitor was seeking "meaningful negotiations" with the Labour-run council.

If negotiations are unsuccessful, the group has threatened to take legal action.

The market has been used for Covid-19 testing

He said traders are angry with the "bullying" rent demand and they have been backed by the opposition Liberal Democrat group.

Their leader Richard Kemp said he was "surprised and appalled" the council has begun to collect these charges and rents when the cabinet recommendation was not been approved by the council.

Labour cabinet member Sharon Connor told the Local Democracy Reporting Service last week the council's financial position meant the current arrangement was unsustainable and government cuts to its budget had forced the its hand.

A council spokesman said: "In light of legal correspondence received this week from the traders at St Johns Market we are unfortunately unable to make any comment until we have reviewed this letter and provided a response."

Analysis - Clare Hamilton, political reporter BBC Radio Merseyside

Traders at St Johns say being asked for thousands of pounds this month is kicking them when they are down.

They've endured a lot, they say, these past three years.

The refurbishment of the market didn't deliver what they'd hoped. They've since seen other venues like the city's Baltic market become a food lovers paradise, while footfall in their part of town dwindled, well before the pandemic.

The retail environment is changing, and several businesses near St Johns have closed in the past two years.

The council's own finances have been hit hard by coronavirus. It's budget time and councillors argue they need to maximise income wherever possible.