Traders at Gloucester’s indoor market have been ordered to vacate their stalls after accumulating approximately £50,000 in unpaid rent. The council attributes the mounting arrears to prolonged mismanagement, particularly singling out a fishmonger who reportedly hasn’t paid rent for six years.
This issue surfaced during a recent Gloucester City Council cabinet meeting held at North Warehouse, where concerns were raised about the council’s financial oversight. With the council currently facing financial difficulties and having sought a £15 million emergency loan from the government, transparency regarding debts owed by market tenants came under scrutiny.
Councillor Reg Daldry questioned the accuracy of the council’s records on market debts and highlighted the ongoing liabilities, including weekly costs of £250 for cleaning, storage, and electricity associated with the fishmonger’s stall. He pressed for clarification on why eviction notices had only recently been served.
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Council Leader Jeremy Hilton acknowledged the overdue rent totalled around £50,000 and confirmed that the council had initiated eviction procedures against the fishmonger. He pledged that lessons would be learned from past failures, emphasizing that the current administration is implementing stricter lease management and rent collection processes ahead of upcoming market redevelopment plans.
Hilton criticized prior informal arrangements and negotiations that undermined proper enforcement, describing them as a legacy of poor administration. Moving forward, he promised a professional management approach to ensure all traders meet their financial obligations, safeguarding the market’s success and sustainability.
The fishmonger implicated in the arrears has since left the market and has been contacted for comment.