TRADERS have demanded a resolution to an ongoing dispute at a flagship market and arts centre after branding it ‘a health and safety nightmare’.

Ten stallholders at Ty Pawb have written a joint email to Wrexham Council leader Mark Pritchard amid claims their businesses were seriously impacted during the first few months because of incomplete building works.

The former People’s Market building reopened with a community celebration event in April following a £4.5 million investment.

However, five months down the line, the authority has threatened to evict a number of business owners unless they sign contracts by 5pm on Wednesday.

Stallholders say they will only sign up if they receive a concession on rent for the period from April to July, during which they claim customers walked out because of loud drilling and dust.

They have also highlighted several current problems, including the mens’ toilets for traders being left unfinished, shutter bay doors not working and the centre being left unlocked on at least three occasions.

Discussing the conditions, they said: “Quite frankly it was a health and safety nightmare which prompted customers to walk out as they were disgusted they couldn’t hear when trying to interact with traders.

“(There was) dust all over counters and stock which had to be consistently cleaned throughout the day due to hygiene issues.

“No internet for over two months, so loss of trade as we were unable to accept card payments, online orders or online advertising.

“Traders’ kitchen and toilets weren’t finished on time and the traders’ gents are still in a disgusting state.”

They described the advertising of the centre as ‘diabolical’ and said contracts have still not been received by some businesses, while others have already left.

Stallholders are also unhappy that the market’s opening hours have been reduced.

They added that the project had been jeopardised because several key staff members were not in place until either just before it opened, or in one case as recently as July.

They said:  “We should not have been trading until the building was complete, and it’s still not complete as the loading bay shutters are still not operational, so traders have to carry heavy stock up steps into the market.

“Apparently drafts of the contracts were sent to traders home addresses yet quite a few didn’t receive them, why was an important document like that not sent recorded delivery, and why has it take the council five months to ask if they had received them?

“Some traders have already given notice and left, and I believe another is going to be sharing a stall with another trader, hence not making the rent to keep each unit.

“The council have now made sure the building will be closed at the point of day with the highest footfall – 8 til 9am and 4.30 til 6pm.”

The e-mail states that all ten traders have either refused to sign contracts or or are in a dispute with the authority.

However they said they were willing to discuss the issue collectively and sign a new licence from the beginning of October if the council agrees to accommodate them.

They said: “We are not trying to cheat the council out of rent in anyway, but as a group feel very shortchanged by the way Ty Pawb has been promoted and managed up to now.

“We believe that further negative publicity should any traders be evicted, will not only affect the viability of Ty Pawb to cross subside any events, but also will affect footfall within the facility.”

A Wrexham Council spokesperson said the authority was aware of traders’ concerns and would respond in due course.

They said: “We are not in a position to discuss our tenants’ rents however a concession for them was put in place for the first year in recognition that this brand new venture would require some time to settle down and ensure all our services operated and footfall began to increase.

“We are now seeing a growing number of regular events with good attendances as well as increased marketing and keen interest in our rentable spaces from groups and organisations.

“We will continue to make every effort to support our traders to ensure this increasing footfall can benefit everyone who operates here.”