Queensgate Market: Fears over future

Jul 4 2009 Huddersfield Daily Examiner

TRADERS in Queensgate Market fear more will go out of business.

They claim they are facing rent hikes in times of deep recession.

And they are worried about the future of the market, which now has many empty units.

The concerns were aired as a long-serving trader became the latest to shut down.

Continental Foods has called time on trading after three decades in the market.

Their stalls are now empty – along with at least 13 more in the town’s indoor market.

And the chairman of the Queensgate Market Tenants’ Association has claimed the traders were among few retailers in the town centre who have been unable to negotiate a 20% rent reduction.

Granville Pearson, chairman of the association, said: “The Continental Foods unit was unique in that it has Polish foods and foods from round the world.

“Now you get an aisle of that in Tesco so the trader is unable to compete with the convenience offered by the supermarket.

“I don’t think it is as much the uncertainty of the market’s future than it is the overall cost of the units in there.

“The council is wanting to put rents up when every other retail business in the town centre is seeing a reduction of 20%.

“It seems they would rather have them empty than reduce the rent.

“But like any other cash cow the market is providing an income for the council which is returning nothing in the way of investment.

“If you keep taking out of the pot, one day it will be empty.”

Several units are shuttered up while others have been left with empty display units and shelves.

The market is also a key part of proposed redevelopment plans for the town centre but those are on ice because of the recession.

Mr Pearson, a former Queensgate Market greengrocer, said that difficult trading conditions were having an impact on traders.

“We don’t get the footfall we used to get,” he added.