A trader at Nottingham's Victoria Centre Market says it should not be closed in the middle of a cost of living crisis after one of those negotiating its future said shopping habits have "moved on." Rumours about the closure of the historic venue first began circulating in 2021, with traders eventually being given a date of February 24 by which Nottingham City Council was due to surrender its lease.
The authority says its lease for the market is estimated to cost £39 million over the next 50 years and in its last update in June, it said the market would remain open for at least the next few months while issues with Global Mutual were resolved. Global Mutual acquired the Victoria Centre after the collapse of intu in 2020.
"There could be arrangements for short-term leases perhaps leading up to Christmas, but that's not going to solve the problem. It's not going to renew a market which isn't as popular as it once was. But John Easom, the owner of Goldbank Jewellers, says he has just moved into a new unit at the Victoria Market and that his trade has picked up. Having been based at the market for eight years, Mr Easom said: "They can't close a market in the middle of a cost of living crisis.