6:30am Monday 2nd February 2009
By Andrew Ffrench
OXFORD City Council has scrapped a plan to spend £50,000 to smarten up the Covered Market.
In November, the council’s executive agreed the funding package to pay for a long-awaited renovation and painting of the 18th century market’s roof and superstructure.
Traders who were hit with rent rises of up to 80 per cent last summer had demanded the investment, because the market has not been properly decorated for 37 years.
The council’s U-turn comes as a bitter blow to traders.
Jason Lowe, the owner of the Moo Moo milk bar, who is a director of the Covered Market Traders’ Association, said: “All the traders are extremely disappointed the council has withdrawn the funding to renovate the market. It still looks run down in places. We understand the council is struggling for money but now it has promised the investment, it should stick to its promise.”
Mr Lowe said the rent on his unit rose by 39 per cent after the rent review.
Another trader, who asked not be named, said: “The market definitely needs sprucing up and I think they have got enough rent money to pay for it.”
Sandie Griffith, owner of Jemini flower shop and treasurer of the association, added: “Traders were devastated when they heard the money wasn’t coming, following the hardest rent review we have ever had.
“My rent went up 34 per cent and I have had to reduce the size of my store.”
Craig Muir, owner of Mortons café, who is also a director of the association, said: “The withdrawal of investment for refurbishment is very disappointing, but I’m encouraged by the potential of Sunday opening, and I hope that will happen in the spring.”
Sally Davis, a director of the Cake Shop, added: “The building is very, very historic and it needs upkeep. If something starts to crumble, it starts to crumble quite badly.
“The council put our rent up massively and it could do with a lick of paint.”
Last year, the council improved the lighting in the market, but any major investment is now on hold.
Mary Clarkson, the executive member responsible for the market, said: “It’s awful, because we were making progress with the traders and now we have reneged on our promise, because of the financial situation.
“The economy has changed in a way that we could not have imagined, and as a result there has been a freeze on discretionary spending.
“We will do reactive repairs at the Covered Market but any major capital spend is now on hold.”
Colin Cook, the council’s executive member for the city centre, added: “We have to trim our sails according to the financial climate and unfortunately that means cutting discretionary spending.
“The stallholders are realistic and know the financial situation is grim all round, so they’re not kicking up too much of a fuss.”
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