Victoria Market traders' anger at suggestion they are 'holding out for a big payout'

REMAINING BUSINESSES IN STAND-OFF WITH CITY COUNCIL SAY THEY'RE WILLING TO GO TO COURT IN FIGHT TO STAY OPEN

- By OLIVER PRIDMORE

MARKET traders have reacted with fury to a suggestion by Nottingham City Council's leader that they are waiting for a “big pay-out” before leaving their site - which the authority closed two months ago.

The leader of the Labour-run council says remaining traders at the Victoria Centre Market seem to be of the view that the authority has “unlimited money” to compensate them for the site’s closure.

But those running the businesses say the compensation offers they have had so far would force some of them to sell their homes.

Only six traders will soon be left at the market, which has been in its current location since the 1970s.

The city council owns the site and said it would be closing on March 31. Yet with what they say are inadequate compensation offers, a small number of traders chose to stay beyond the closure date and court action has begun as some apply for a new tenancy.

The stand-off recently escalated when the council allegedly briefly cut off the electricity for one of the remaining traders.

Asked about the simmering anger, council leader Councillor Neghat Khan issued a blunt message.

She said: “They think that we've got unlimited money that we would pay to get them out. That's not the case. The deal that was on the table a couple of years ago isn’t there anymore.

“We don't have that kind of money. I think the last couple of traders are holding out for a big payout. There isn’t going to be a big payout, that's just very clear.”