Market Hall stint left me broken, says ex-trader

A former trader at Derby Market Hall has said the venue's management should do more to help businesses after she was forced to close her stall due to a lack of customers.

Shereen Spurgeon, who ran a Caribbean food stall at the city-centre market until earlier this year, said business initially appeared promising but claimed footfall was insufficient to support traders.

"It has broken me... my savings that I had, that's gone. All it left me with is worry and a bit of depression," she said.

Derby City Council said they are confident their current measures to attract new traders will "help strengthen the Market Hall".

Spurgeon's comments come after Derby City Council leader Nadine Peatfield said the authority was considering handing over the running of the Market Hall to a private operator following a forecasted £338,000 loss.

She said business was good for the first month but "went downhill" not long after.

"There was no form of sustainable trading for us as traders," she said, adding that businesses began leaving within months of the market reopening.

Her comments came after Derby City Council leader Nadine Peatfield defended efforts to increase visitor numbers through events and promotions.

The council pointed to organised activities including farmers' markets, themed family events and partnerships with city-centre organisations in a bid to attract more people to the venue.

Peatfield added the authority continued to invest in initiatives designed to boost footfall and was learning how to appeal to different audiences throughout the week.

But Spurgeon said traders needed more help because occasional busy periods were not enough to make businesses viable.

"If we as traders just have to wait until they have the occasional footfall in order to make some money, it's not good," she said.

She argued that more should have been done to understand why traders were leaving and to review the market's operating model.

Reflecting on her time at the market, Spurgeon said she regretted moving her business there.

"It has left me with a bill still owed to Derby Council which they're chasing me for.

"I'm still trying to build myself back since leaving which is very hard... it was a story that was sold for us to get in there."

Despite her criticism, Spurgeon said she did not blame market officers and managers directly, saying they had worked hard within the constraints they had.

Looking ahead, she questioned whether the council could make the market a long-term success, but said any prospective private operator would need a clear vision and a thorough understanding of what traders require.

A Derby City Council spokesman said: "We've been meeting with our traders regularly to monitor their feedback and are continuing to work to attract new traders to the Market Hall and enhance the overall offer.

"We are reviewing hours in response to business demand to ensure traders have more focused windows for sales based on footfall numbers.

"The Market Hall needs to cover its costs but we try to be flexible on overdue payments.

"The Chamber of Commerce has been visiting the Market Hall on regular occasions to provide advice to traders on a range of business issues and offer one-to-one support sessions, and will continue to do so.

"We will continue to monitor performance closely throughout the year, and we are confident that the actions underway will help strengthen the Market Hall."

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