Food van owners in Northampton say they feel 'betrayed' by council's new Market Square rent prices

Multiple food vans at Northampton’s temporary market say they feel ‘betrayed’ by the council as rents to return to Market Square have reportedly ‘tripled’.

Northampton’s Market Square has been closed since February last year, while contractors Stepnell carry out £10 million worth of works to refurbish the area on behalf of West Northants Council (WNC).

While the works have been ongoing, traders have been located in Commercial Street car park. Many have struggled to make a living in the temporary location, described as a ‘hell hole’ by one trader.

The council hosted a meeting at Northampton Library on Monday (April 22) to speak to traders about moving on to the refurbished Market Square when it reopens in late summer.

However, the outcome of the meeting has not gone down well with multiple food van units. They say the rent has now tripled, that they are not allowed to leave their vans on site overnight and that none of this was made clear at the start by WNC.

Joao Frade, owner of Ciro’s Place, said: “When we first came down here I knew it was going to be a gamble and that I was not going to make any money but I thought when we go back up there [Market Square] we’ll make some money. I’m 75 per cent down but I was ok with that because I saw it as an investment.

"We have been here investing money waiting to go back and then they’ve just betrayed us by tripling the rates and changing the terms and conditions of what we had before up there. It’s difficult.

"This is the first time we have been told we could not keep our food van unit there overnight. If I knew this before I moved here I would have given up before I moved. It makes no sense. It’s upset me a lot. If we have to move the vans at night I’m giving up.

"I was paying £20 a day before. I’ll be paying £60 a day if I move back that includes the rent, electric, water etc plus the competition it seems we are going to have up there.

"They were never clear when they moved us down here they will change the conditions. They never told us the rents would triple.”

Floyd and Sally Eldred of Funky’s Noodles van say they have been treated ‘disgracefully’.

They said: “We’ve lost a lot of money since moving to Commercial Street. I’ve had to use my savings to get by – around £20k. We have been treated disgracefully. Originally we were all going to have the lockable units but then the council changed their minds.

"We’ve got nowhere to put the van. It’s impossible for us to move it anywhere. We’ve got nowhere to put it. It’s got a fridge freezer that needs power. They’ve only just sprung this on us. They never told us this to start with.

"The report yesterday from councillor Lister saying how happy the traders are, that’s nonsense. They’re making it impossible for us to go back. We’ve been patiently waiting down in that hell hole where they’ve dumped us on the basis that we go back to a nice unit and now they’re telling us this.”

Another food van at the temporary market, Fryin Brian’s, was in agreement with his fellow traders.

Responding, councillor Daniel Lister, WNC’s man in charge of the project, said: “The council is working closely with traders to hold regular meetings and conversations with them during the relocation at Commercial Street, and to support them in the transition to Market Square. This regular dialogue was further supported by a meeting with existing traders and prospective traders on Monday (April 22) at Northampton Library. This session discussed the outline costings – which are due to be discussed at a cabinet meeting in May, and the support available to them as part of the move back to the square. This included a bespoke session delivered by Business & IP Centre Northamptonshire regarding the advice and support they can offer to enhance their business. The cost structure which will be considered by cabinet in May outline different tiers of pricing, providing traders with a wide-range of options. We are currently reviewing the operation of the market and are in discussions with the affected businesses so we can take their views into consideration.

“The transformation of Market Square is taking shape ahead of opening this summer, and we are looking forward to welcoming traders to the historic square. I would encourage everyone to continue to visit the market at the temporary location at Commercial Street and see the wide-range of goods and services on offer.”