Council to bring in 'stepped increase' to Market Drayton market stallholder rent despite objections

Dean Carroll, cabinet member for housing and assets, has today confirmed the council will be introducing a "stepped increase" in rent rather than reverting immediately to full rates.

While a three-month reduced rent initiative – introduced earlier this year – was effective and had a positive impact on the market, the council says, it needs to finance the market's running costs.

Councillor Carroll said: “Alongside our managing agents, LSD Promotions, we offered a three-month incentive to all new stallholders at Market Drayton indoor market, to generate new interest.

“As this specified time period draws to a close, we have decided on a stepped increase to support new traders, rather than immediately reverting to full rates, in order to continue supporting the market hall.

“The incentive was effective, and recent new occupiers have brought new vibrancy to the market, and increased its offering.

"We were really pleased to welcome new traders and support them whilst they became established, however, we do need to finance the running costs of the market.

“As ever, we encourage people to visit new and existing traders at the indoor market, as it’s a great place to shop.”

MP Helen Morgan backed traders at Market Drayton's indoor market this week and wrote a letter to council leader Lezley Picton urging leaders to keep the rents down.

It comes after fears were raised by traders and the town mayor over the potentially "catastrophic impact" an increase in rent could have on the market's future.

In her letter the MP said it would be a "shame" for such "positive progress" to be jeopardised by raising rents again and that the reduced rent initiative would "boost the wider town centre economy" and give residents access to more affordable goods.

MP Helen Morgan said: “After so much hard work has been done to improve the situation at Drayton Indoor Market, it would be a dire shame to throw that away by hiking the rents back up.

“I’ve stepped in to ask Shropshire Council to keep the rents down. Having the market at full capacity has a huge knock-on benefit for the whole town centre, bringing people into Drayton to spend money and keep shops going.

“We should be encouraging local businesses to trade and supporting efforts to get Market Drayton’s economy firing on all cylinders, rather than taking one step forward and one step back.”