Traders at the Open Market in Brighton have received letters telling them that the Ethical Property Company is ending its contract to manage the site.
Ethical plans to terminate its contract from Friday 19 February – a cause of delight to some traders who have voiced criticisms about the company in recent months.
The market was offered a £61,000 financial lifeline by Brighton and Hove City Council when it agreed an emergency loan in November.
Councillor Kevin Allen, who chairs the Open Market Community Interest Company (CIC), said: “It’s a bit of a surprise. We’ve obviously got to think things through very carefully.
“We’ll know more after the board meeting on Wednesday (20 January).”
A former chairman of the market traders, Councillor Mary Mears, who worked at the market for 30 years, said that she had nothing but good wishes for the traders.
She recognised that they had been having a difficult time and hoped that Councillor Allen and the CIC board would work out a way forward.
