RATS 'chewing through wires' at Northampton's £12.5m Market Square causing chaos for food truck traders
Food truck traders at Northampton’s newly refurbished Market Square say they have been battling an ongoing rat infestation that is impacting their businesses.
The Market Square, which reopened in October 2024 after a 20-month, £12.5 million refurbishment, has been hit by problems with rats chewing through vital water and electricity cables.
Food truck owners say the issue has been ongoing since they returned to the site five months ago, leaving them without power on some days and unable to trade.
All traders are keen to stress that no rats have entered their trucks, and all food hygiene and safety measures continue to be strictly followed.
One trader, who asked not to be named, said: “It’s been happening since October. I’ve had to change my cables multiple times – that’s water and electric. All food trucks have been affected. Rats are chewing on the mains – both above ground and underground. I complained to the council, but they said ‘it is what it is.’ I lost power at 10am and didn’t get it back until 1.30pm, so I lost a whole morning of business.
"They told us to change where we leave the rubbish, so now we leave it in the arcade [Emporium Way], but it’s still happening.”
Traders say the issue is made worse by how the newly installed power terminals have been laid out. Before the refurbishment, food vans connected to sockets positioned directly behind them. Now, they say wires are stretched across the front of vans, leaving long connections vulnerable to pests.
Sally from Funky Noodles food truck experienced her first outage this week. She said: “This is my first time, but the Greek food guy – his van was the first it happened to, back in November. And it’s happened to the Thai food truck, and the others too. Today was horrible because without electric I can’t do anything. We were rushing around trying to fix it, but mine wasn’t just overground wires – it was underneath as well. They’ve just been getting at our wires. The waste storage solution isn’t working because there are still loads of rats.”
She added: “The council knew where we were going to be – why didn’t they plumb us in properly? Why are the wires all over the floor? Before, the plugs were literally just behind the van.”
In response to repeated problems, three trucks are now sharing a single terminal box, which has been left open so traders can reset it themselves if power trips — but many say this is far from a solution.
Another trader added: “The Thai food guy thought someone was messing with his electricity at first. But when others had the same problem, we realised it’s rats.
"If we don’t have power, we can’t trade. We’ve got fridges with raw meat and we need to keep things hygienic. I think WNC needs to act quickly — block the pipes and call pest control. We’re doing our part, putting rubbish in the alley, but we need help. It’s not fixed. It’s a worry.”
When asked about the issue, a West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) spokeswoman said: “As soon as we were made aware of this issue, proactive steps were taken to address it and prevent future occurrences. Residents can report any pest control concerns to the council via our website.”
WNC has been asked to elaborate on what actions have been taken to address the issue and why the wires have been laid out as they have been.