Nottingham traders waiting over indoor market's future

John Easom said traders were 'queuing up' to get into the market but were barred from doing so

Traders at Nottingham's Victoria Market have said they are living in limbo over a decision on its future.

The city council has been reviewing the "under-used" 50-year-old market in the Victoria Centre, which it says would cost millions to support.

A consultation in April and May had more than 600 consultation responses but the results have not been revealed.

Traders said with the right investment, it still had a future but they could not plan ahead with the uncertainty.

Stephen Taylor said most cities had vibrant markets which were an asset to other shops

Only just over 10% of the market's stalls are currently occupied.

In April the council said it heavily subsidised the market and keeping it open for the remaining 50 years on the lease would cost £39m.

Even before the consultation began the authority said it felt the most viable option was to exit from the lease.

John Easom, who runs a gold-buying stall, said: "They have not allowed any new traders in since January, something that was supposed to last eight weeks, as a result there are loads of empty stalls.

"There are people queuing up to rent stalls here and they are not being allowed to.

"We want to expand but we don't know if the market is going to close or not, where are in limbo, it is very frustrating."

The city council said it would reveal the results at the end of July

Stephen Taylor, whose grandfather started the family business at the old market, said: "Every city in the UK has an indoor market and most of them are brilliant, run really well.

"But this one has been let down by bad management.

"They keep saying they are subsidising us but the subsidy figure has changed three times in the past six months.

"We have had a freedom of information request to see where these figures have come from but they have refused."

The city council said it understood traders' frustrations, and expected to be able to publish a full report and next steps by the end of July.