Rent freeze for Dudley Market traders in bid to boost business
Rents for traders on Dudley Market will be frozen for the fourth year in a row to help boost businesses in the wake of a major revamp project.
Dudley Council says it has no plans to increase fees for the 'foreseeable future' despite needing to make savings of £27 million during the next three years.
It comes as work continues on a £6.7million redevelopment of the historic market place in Dudley High Street.
Traders are due to move to their new stalls as part of the 74-pitch market next month.
They have been using temporary pitches in other parts of the market place and Stone Street Square at busy times since the work started.
And Dudley councillors say the rent freeze will help reduce upheaval when the stalls move back.
The move has been welcomed by Dudley Market Traders Association today as work on the market place revamp enters its final stages.
Market traders association chairman, Len Lenihan, said: "I think that having the rents remain the same is a sensible move at the moment."
Leading Dudley councillor Judy Foster, who oversees major regeneration projects in the borough said the decision came following discussions with traders.
"We have worked with and listened to the market traders and as a result we have not increased rents on Dudley market since 2011," she said.
"The council has no plans currently to increase rents for the foreseeable future."
Market fees vary in price according to position and day of the week from around £9 to around £32.
Other shop owners in Dudley have been helped during disruption of the revamp project.
Officials have negotiated a rents discount with the Government's Valuation Office Agency for those that suffered the most during the upheaval.
Businesses in parts of High Street, Market Place, Castle Street, New Street, the Churchill centre and Trident shopping centre receive a 10 per cent reduction their rates.
Work is due to come to a close by the summer.
Ahead of the revamp there were archaeological digs in the market place which was first established in the 12th century.
Around 30 intact stoneware bottles of 'liquid blacking' were found carefully stacked up against the walls of a demolished room, thought to be a cellar, below the market.
The room formed part of a complex of market buildings, once known as Middle Row, in the central part of the market.
The town's historic fountain in Market Place is also being restored to full working order.
