Inverness Victorian Market's new service charge is worrying some businesses, but new meeting planned with Highland Council
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A GROUP of businesses in Inverness Victorian Market boycotted a meeting called by city management to explain a new “service charge” on their rented premises.
The charge emerged as a major revamp of part of the Highland Council-owned market nears completion and the local authority is seeking traders to move in.
The proposed charge will apply to all businesses – both new ones in the impressively revamped Market Hall and Fish Hall, and existing traders in the Arcade.
Before Tuesday night’s private meeting, Willie Morrison of Jeweller at Finkelstein, said: “I am not attending and I have heard that quite a few are staying away too.
“We do not know exactly what is proposed, and any plans for this so-called service charge should have been given to us in writing.
“We do not have any facts before going to this meeting. I feel it is being foisted on us on top of expensive rents and rates.”
He added: “The charge looks like a way to allow our costs to vary each year, most likely upward.”
However Mr Morrison conceded: “I have seen the new developed part and it is very impressive, very nice.
“There is no doubt that the market footfall will increase as a result.”
The meeting went ahead with a small number of businesses attending.
A council spokesman said: “While several key businesses were represented, it was disappointing that other businesses did not choose to attend.”
Since the meeting the traders have been sent details of the service charge, and a further meeting will be held in three weeks.
The council has information online about the service charge.
This states: “As well as rental, the tenant will be responsible for paying a share of the communal running costs associated with the Victorian Market through a service charge.
“This will include, cleaning, security, waste collection, electricity and general management of the market. The detailed budget will be provided to interested parties. The contribution will be collected via the Service Charge which is collected and managed by a managing agent, Graham & Sibbald.
“Depending on running costs this will vary from year to year.”
This week the council said that “at this time there will be no change to the amount that each tenant pays”.
The spokesman added: “The changes to the contractual arrangements between each tenant and the council will simply allow the council to explain how the rent is used to pay for the running costs of the market and for the tenants to comment on it and scrutinise it and make suggestions, which will be given consideration by the council as landlord.”
