News / St Nick's Market
‘It’s not what St Nick’s brings to council coffers but what it brings to Bristol’
On a recent morning in St Nick’s Market, Lynn Hanby was encouraging a customer to sign a petition that traders hope will show the strength of support from the public for this unique space in the heart of our city.
The support is needed because the spirit of St Nick’s is under threat like never before due to increased charges which some traders who have been here for decades fear will drive them out of business.
Lynn, who co-owns Aardvark in the centre of Exchange Hall with her husband Nick, is also secretary of the St Nick’s Market Traders Association and will be among the contingent of traders who will be heading to a meeting at City Hall on September 22 at which their futures could be decided.
It was back in December that the city council first unveiled plans for increased fees for traders based on turnover, and since then two consultations have taken place in which Lynn feels her viewpoints have not been taken on board and instead, council officers are simply seeing this as a revenue-raising opportunity.
If the increased charges do go ahead, Lynn said that the market will be “fundamentally different” because some “core businesses” will be forced to close.
“There is no doubt some will go under. Many will have a very painful journey to some sort of compromise with this.”
Aardvark has been at St Nick’s Market since 1991 – photo: Martin Booth
Lynn and Nick, who live in Brislington, have been in the market since 1991 with their business – originally funded from the government’s former Enterprise Allowance Scheme – selling fairly-traded hand-made giftware from around the world.
But like every other trader in the market, they remain on a rolling weekly licence for their pitch.
“It’s always been about community here,” says Lynn. “It’s not what St Nick’s brings to the council coffers but what it brings to the city. It is seriously important…
“St Nick’s is about interaction. We’re here for people just to wander through and enjoy the sense of community.
“That doesn’t always translate into sales but that isn’t really what St Nick’s is about and is why we need to support this unique place.”
Lynn said that many traders are “on the brink already”; some for example are still paying off bounce-back loans from after the pandemic: “For businesses our size, it’s not about how much profit you make for shareholders. It’s how much you put in your pocket. It’s whether you can pay your mortgage.”
For traders, the public support has been “overwhelming”. “People have brought me to tears once or twice to be honest because they love this place so much,” Lynn says. “There is nothing like it anywhere else.”
Traders say they have been overwhelmed by the response to their petition and all the kindness being shown by both regular customers and visitors – photo: Martin Booth
Lib Dem councillor Andrew Brown, chair of the economy & skills committee, said: “We have been working with the St Nicholas Market licence holders to understand their views on how we can introduce a new licence fee model that will mean the market will be financially sustainable.
“It has been over a decade since the last fee review and our aim is to bring fees in line with equivalent UK markets and develop a model that is fair to the traders and fair to the city.
“Two phases of consultation were held with licence holders in March and June which informed detailed proposals for a new licence fee model at the market.
“Feedback from the second phase of consultation was used to inform the decision to introduce the proposed new fee model in stages over five years, allowing business owners to adjust gradually and have time to prepare.
“Adjustments could include changing their footprint in the market, for example, and the team are happy to engage with traders on a one-to-one level to help traders adapt.
“Proposed fee increases will vary across the market from five to 20 per cent per year.
“I have also been clear that the situation should be kept under review, that the service should seek to find and expand other income streams, that funds should be reinvested into the market to improve its facilities, and that the council’s property team should make better use of the upstairs space of the Corn Exchange to both increase income and footfall.
“When we meet later this month, the economy & skills policy committee will consider all responses to the consultation before making a final decision on the proposals.”
Main photo: Martin Booth
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