No sign of market closing as traders remain defiant on day of council deadline

TODAY is the last day of operation for Nottingham's Victoria Centre Market. At least, that was Nottingham City Council's original intention.

- By OLIVER PRIDMORE

The Labour authority now admits that some traders are staying put at the now barren-looking indoor market.

The admission marks the latest twist in a saga which has seen longrunning businesses claiming they have been treated with disdain.

Nottingham's market dates back to the reign of Henry II in the 12th century, with markets continuing in the former Great Market Place until the Exchange building was demolished to make way for the Council House in 1928.

Markets then moved to the Central Market on the corner of Glasshouse Street and Parliament Street, before finally settling at the Victoria Centre in 1972 when the shopping destination opened the city Traders were first told council would surrender its lease on the market on February 24 in 2022, with some signing compensation offers and arranging new premises.

But this date came and went with no further certainty and it was eventually confirmed that negotiations had fallen through with Global Mutual, tasset managers of the Victoria Centre Market.

The council said negotiations with Global Mutual had been "both complex and protracted" and that talks would continue over the termination of the lease agreement, which the council says would have cost it £39 million over the next 50 years.

The Labour-led authority's next closure plan was for traders to leave the site last summer, which once again came and went.