Darwen market traders want 25% rent reduction

4:38pm Sunday 4th May 2008

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By Nafeesa Shan »

DARWEN stallholders are calling for a 25 per cent reduction in their rents to save the town's market.

Traders are urging Blackburn with Darwen Council to drop the rents in the three-day-market by a quarter until regeneration works in the town are completed.

They said that such a reduction would be a offer a huge incentive to stay in the market at a time when they were struggling to survive.

Due to the number of empty stalls traders said that many customers believe the market is closing down.

Council bosses responded by saying a range of measures were to be introduced in a bid to boost the market.

Clive Wilson, who has run six stalls on the market since it opened in the 1970s, has put the rent-reduction request in writing to the council.

He said: "We are asking them to be reduced until the regeneration works have been completed in Darwen.

"The houses that have been knocked down in Redearth and even those under the housing scheme in the Queen Street area have also effected our trade.

"We also want to know what is being done to fill the stalls in the market over the last 12 months because many of them are empty."

Terry Longden, markets manager for Blackburn with Darwen Council, said a meeting would be staged with traders on May 12 in Darwen Library Theatre to help them attract more customers.

He said: "A range of measures are to be introduced that are aimed at increasing the customer footfall through the market by improving the range of goods that are available to the customer.

"Independent business support is also being offering including free business training, mentoring and business planning.

"The overall business opportunity to both existing and new market traders is to be included in a special 'Business Opportunities on Darwen Market' pack which includes a range of new initiatives.

"The include rental concession for the sale of unique goods and a 'Trader Buddy' scheme offering a free weeks rent for a trader who introduces and sponsors a new trader who completes six months on the market.

"A revised letting policy is also being introduced that re-emphasises that the priority is to generate increased footfall through the market by supporting expansion and improvement of the overall offer to the customer. This includes quicker processes for the letting of stalls and 'casual' lets in the market hall/ lease side."