Rent rises will force us out, say Wolverhampton and Bilston traders

Stallholders say the upcoming rent rise could force some of them out of business.

Traders at both Bilston and Wolverhampton markets will have their fees put up by five per cent from April 1. It is the fourth time in as many years traders have been made to cough up more.

Clive Nicholls, whose fruit and veg stall currently has three generations of his family working on it, dates back more than 100 years.

"I am concerned that as rates continue to rise, the council will kill off this market," he said. "Our rent is going up by so much more than the current inflation rate, which is unfair.

"My family have had a stall here for over a century and there has always been hard times but this is going to make things so much more difficult for us.

"We are a community here, not just the traders but the customers, everybody gets along with one another and we are like a family.

"I would hate to see that end but there is no way this can carry on without affecting the number of people who come here to work."

Margaret Miller's family have run a net curtain stall for more than 75 years and she believes the increases could 'kill' the indoor market.

She said: "This could potentially have a huge effect on the town.

"My family have been here for so long but I don't know how it can carry on like this.

"It is a knock-on effect - if traders go, there are less reasons for customers to come, so there is less money being spent in the town."

Traders have previously said they believe they are seen as an 'easy target' by the council and will fight against the higher rates.

However, spokesman for the traders, Jag Sandhu, said they would do everything they can to avoid staging a protest similar to last year, where more than 100 stallholders refused to pay the increase before eventually being forced into doing so.

A petition which Mr Sandhu hopes to take to a full council meeting has so far got around 1,600 signatures.

Traders in Wolverhampton have also said they think increasing rent again is unnecessary and will eventually damage business.

Mr Sandhu said: "It is such a strange time for us because on one hand, we are busy, the market is thriving, yet we are concerned for our future.

"We pay more here than on the high street yet we are not given anywhere near as much of a voice over what happens to our businesses.

"We really do want to work with the council but we feel there is a real lack of communication between us and them.

"People have been more than happy to sign our petition and we hope to reach our target of 2,500 signatures over the coming weeks.

"I have lived and worked in Bilston all of my life, I love this town.

"It is frightening to think something so important to the people who live here could be pushed out."

The council has said the money brought in from higher rents is needed to help cover £750,000 improvements to the indoor market at Bilston - £500,000 of which has been spent on a new air conditioning system, with the rest covering an electrics upgrade.

However, the traders have claimed that the council did not properly consult with them ahead of agreeing the new terms this year.

Mr Sandhu said: "The council have proposed this year's rent increase at too late a stage for those who work at the market to have any say.

"We don't feel this is a fair representation of our voice, considering the work we do."

Councillor John Reynolds, city services chief, has said the five per cent increase was outlined at a meeting in October and another meeting was held in November for traders to put forward ideas for savings to offset the increase but they were not ready to put forward proposals.