Claims Wrexham Council are letting stallholders down after FOI reveals no rent collected from T? Pawb

Aug 30, 2018 Peter Rabbit Council News Comments Off on Claims Wrexham Council are letting stallholders down after FOI reveals no rent collected from T? Pawb

Wrexham.com

By Liam Randall

Wrexham Council has not collected a single penny in rent since the opening of a £4.5 million arts hub and market, new figures have revealed.

It comes amid claims that Wrexham Council is letting down traders at the multi-million pound arts and market hub T? Pawb , which is based in the former People’s Market.

Both a stallholder and a former county councillor have raised concerns about the lack of footfall and said not enough has been done to promote businesses.

The council injected more than £1.5m of its own money into the scheme, which includes two galleries, a theatre, market stalls and a food hall.

But figures released under the Freedom of Information Act show it has yet to recoup anything in rent since the building officially opened in April

Former Smithfield councillor Keith Gregory said he had spoken to a number of stallholders who were unhappy at the lack of support they have received – although the authority claims it is ‘working hard’ to raise awareness of the centre.

He said: “I went into T? Pawb yesterday and had a walk round and there were only three stalls open, all the rest were shut and I noticed that one of the shops had shut completely.

“There’s no trade in there at all and it’s disappointing. The council says it’s doing well, but talking to some of the traders I think they wish they hadn’t gone back.

“They say there is no promotion for them and what they’re doing.