Friday 7 November 2014

Could Co-operation Be Gaining The Upper Hand?

QVM Traders have been subjected to more than their fair share of issues in recent weeks. First the rent review in the Dairy Hall, then the Music Week relocation, the introduction of a new Sunday market in C shed, followed by lease restrictions for SL licenses, a craft market in L shed that will impact on other traders, and the list goes on.

All these measures have the potential to strain management/trader relations and yet they seem to be moving along with a fair degree of co-operation. That is not to say there are not some disgruntled traders and some frustrated management staff but this would be expected in any business upheaval. The saving grace is probably that many of these measures are aimed at improving business levels and have the potential to work our market through the toughest period of retailing in almost a century.

We don't wish to pontificate too much on this subject, nor to poison the discussion with unwarranted optimism or negativism but let's just say that both traders and management deserve some plaudits for the level of co-operation that has been shown so far.