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10

Jul 2020

Last Updated: 10/07/2020
Ripon
Ripon

Ripon and Knaresborough market traders face rent increase

by Tim Flanagan

| 10 Jul, 2020
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Harrogate Borough Council looks set to go ahead with a rent increase for market traders next month- local stall holders say they need more support and some will cease to trade

ripon-25th-june-2020-councillor-pauline-mchardy-with-mike-and-will-finan
Councillor Pauline McHardy (pictured right) at Ripon Market

Market traders in Ripon and Knaresborough who were hoping for financial help from Harrogate Borough Council, face a rent increase of more than 25% this summer.

Before the coronavirus crisis hit the economy of the Harrogate district, the council had agreed its budget for 2020-2021, which included a rent rise for stall holders, which should have come into effect on April 1st - but was put on hold.

The council's market rates for Ripon and Knaresborough as published on its website, show that from July, the summer rental for regular traders will rise from £19.50 to £24.50 and the winter rate increase from £16.40 to £21.40. This additional £5 is to cover the setting up of the stalls by the council, and will be charged per stall rather than per market trader.

Dave Tomlinson, trades on Knaresborough market and said:

"Its quite depressing really, all the other markets seem to be helping us apart from HBC. It's pretty appalling and the morale is way down. The council are very shortsighted because if they continue to put the rent up they will lose traders. I know for a fact we'd lose two traders and maybe even two more and thats a lot of money to lose."


At Wednesday's full council meeting, Councillor Andrew Paraskos, cabinet member for environment, waste reduction and recycling, whose portfolio covers the markets in the Harrogate district, said that rates would be held at the 2019-2020 level "until the end of July".



The Stray Ferret asked the council when the new rates will come into effect, but was still awaiting clarification at the time of publication.

On Wednesday, Cllr Paraskos pointed out that a number of measures have been put in place by the council to both support market traders and promote the markets, including waiving of fees for traders unable to attend because of government restrictions and promotion of market days on social media.

He added:

"There has been a rumour going around that Harrogate Borough Council is wanting to get rid of the markets. This is not true."


The Ripon stallholders representative, Brian Murphy, said:

"After the financial struggle many have experienced, including those non-food traders who didn't earn a penny for 11 weeks of lockdown, any rent increase will feel like a kick in the teeth."





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The discussion on market rents was prompted by Ripon Independent Councillor Pauline McHardy, who submitted a written question calling on the council to follow the lead of neighbouring local authorities. Other local authorities had given rent holidays reductions to help traders post lockdown.

As well as asking for stall holders to be provided with rent-free periods or reductions for a given time, Cllr McHardy, said:

"I hope that the council is not planning rent increases this year or next."


Cllr McHardy has invited Cllr Paraskos and Cllr Graham Swift, the council's cabinet member for resources, enterprise and economic development, to visit Ripon Market with her and speak with traders.