Political reporter, BBC Radio MerseysideLegal letters were sent out on Monday by Liverpool City Council's solicitor to tenants at St John's Market.However, traders claim they cannot afford it as the market is "unviable". The city centre market dates back almost 200 years."We offered to pay an amount and even last year we attended legal mediation with the council where we discussed our issues.
"We accept we can't stay here for nothing, but sadly the council don't seem to accept that they have produced a market that is unviable.""If the market was successful, no trader would have the time to argue over rent. "What we have here is a massive piece of land in Liverpool city centre which if you develop it properly, could be done excellently."If they continue down this road the future of the market doesn't look good."Former mayor Joe Anderson agreed to waive the rent for a number of years.The council has said the non-payment of rent has cost it a million pounds a year.
"It is restricted by poor signage and advertising. The refurbishment in 2016 has not worked as hoped, and footfall has reduced."Image caption,It was replaced in 1969 by a new shopping precinct, where the current market hall now stands.Council leader Liam Robinson said: "Since the pandemic we've been in a situation where the market is costing the council a lot of money and there's a shortfall of rent that needs to be paid.
Published documents have revealed that the authority is writing off £25m of unrecoverable council tax debt and £14m of business rates which it says it will not be able to get back.
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