Council backs down over market rent rises

PLANS to increase the rent for traders at St Nick’s Market in Bristol have been paused after traders warned they would go bust.

- ALEX SEABROOK

Bristol's St Nicholas Market

Bristol City Council was proposing to increase the fees to trade at the popular city centre market, but this attracted fierce opposition from traders and the public.

Thousands petitioned the council to scrap the proposed fee hike, which “threatened the survival of many small independent businesses” and could lead to the “collapse of our unique and historic market”. Some traders would have seen their rents more than double. The petition was signed by 5,820 people, including 3,435 Bristol residents, and was organised by Lynn Hanby, the secretary of the St Nick’s branch of the National Market Traders Federation.

Speaking to the council's economy and skills policy committee she pleaded with councillors to think again and protect the market, jobs and small businesses.