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Read it in five minutes. Understand all of it.
Most property paperwork is written to be skimmed and signed. Ours is written to be read. Here is the whole shape of the deal before you ever sit down with us.
| The term | What it means for you |
|---|---|
| Rent | £200 per week for a 14 m² unit, £300 per week for a 16 m² unit, at the current offer. Quoted weekly so you can match it against your takings rather than a quarterly bill. |
| VAT | Not charged on the rent. The figure you are quoted is the figure you pay. |
| Service charge | None. Cleaning, lighting and upkeep of the aisle, toilets and tea room are ours to deal with. |
| Business rates | Included. You will not receive a separate demand from the council for the unit. |
| Utilities | Electricity, water and internet are included and already connected. No meters to open, no standing charges, no installation wait. |
| Condition | Handed over fitted and decorated: walls, flooring, ceiling, lighting, ventilation and power. Ready to occupy straight away. |
| Your fit out | Counters, shelving, signage and equipment are yours to install. Anything fixed to the structure gets a quick word with us first. |
| Trading hours | The market is open 10:00 to 21:00. You choose the hours within that window that suit your trade. |
| Use | Open to all kinds of trade. We agree your use up front so the mix in the market works for everybody, yourself included. |
| Insurance | You cover your own stock, equipment and public liability. The building itself is our responsibility. |
| Deposit and notice | Agreed with you before you sign and written into your agreement in plain terms. No hidden tie-in and no long lease. |
| Marketing | We promote our traders across our own channels at no charge to you. |
This page is a summary written for clarity. Your own agreement is the document that governs the letting, and we will go through every line of it with you before anything is signed.
What we ask of you
A market only works when everyone pulls in the same direction. There are four things we hold traders to, and they are not unreasonable.
Open when you say you will
Customers learn your hours within a fortnight. A shuttered unit in the middle of the aisle costs your neighbours trade as well as your own.
Keep your frontage sharp
Clean glass, a lit window and a tidy counter. You are behind glass for a reason and the reason is that people are looking.
Pay on time, every week
One weekly figure, no surprises on either side. Keep that straight and you will never hear from us about money.
Look after the shared parts
The tea room, the toilets and the aisle belong to all of us. Treat them the way you would treat your own shop.
The questions everybody asks
These come up on nearly every viewing, so they may as well be answered before you pick up the phone.
Is £200 a week really everything?
Yes. Rent, business rates, electricity, water and internet are all inside that figure, and there is no VAT and no service charge on top. The only things you pay for separately are your own stock, your own equipment, your own insurance and anything you choose to spend on your shopfront.
How long am I tied in for?
There is no long lease. The terms are agreed with you before you sign and written down in plain English, including the notice either side gives. That is the whole point of the way this market is run: no five year commitment, no personal guarantee, no solicitor drafting a document you will never read.
How quickly can I open?
The units are ready to occupy. Once terms are agreed and you have your keys, the only thing standing between you and trading is your own fit out. Most traders are open within a week of the first viewing, and some inside a couple of days.
Can I put my own sign up?
Yes, and we would rather you did. Your name above your glass is what makes a unit yours. Have a word with us about the fascia before anything goes up so it sits properly alongside the rest of the market.
What if my trade is already in the market?
Tell us on the phone and we will be straight with you. We are not going to put two identical businesses opposite each other and watch you both struggle. If there is no room for your trade today, we will say so rather than take a week’s rent off you.
Do you take food businesses?
The market already has a food offer, there is a kitchen at the rear and the larger units suit food to go. Ring and describe what you want to cook and sell, and we will talk through what the unit needs and what you would be responsible for.
Is there somewhere to store stock?
Your unit is lockable and the larger 16 m² size is chosen by most traders who carry stock. There is a store off the main hall as well. Ask about it when you view so we can show you what is realistic.
When can I look round?
Seven days a week, daytime or evening. Call Mr Osman on 07930 638586, tell him roughly when suits you, and he will meet you at the door. You do not need an appointment weeks in advance.
Why is the rent half price?
Because a busy market earns more for everybody in it than a half empty one with a proud price list. The reduced rate is there to fill the remaining units with good traders quickly. It applies to a limited number of units.
Ask it. You will get a plain answer.
No agent, no call centre, no script. You speak to the person who makes the decision.