Traders offered additional chance to hear about plans for Victorian Market growth

The Highland Council will be writing to all traders in the Inverness Victorian Market to invite them to a Traders’ Meeting on Tuesday 12 January 2016.

In a newsletter to the traders it states: “Following on from the representations made, the Council would like to offer Traders an additional chance to hear about the plans to bring opportunity and growth to the market and how these may involve the Private Sector supporting the Council who will remain the owners of the Market on behalf of the Inverness Common Good Fund.”

Earlier this month on 3 December, at a meeting of The Highland Council’s City of Inverness Area Committee a decision was deferred on a private management proposal for the City’s Victorian Market.

The decision to defer the discussion was taken due to the late presentation of a letter from interested parties which was given to the Provost and Leader Cllr Helen Carmichael during the City of Inverness Area Committee meeting. With the agreement of members of the committee deferred discussion of the item.

Two earlier meetings were held for Victorian Market Traders to discuss the proposals and the Council is again offering the Traders a third chance to hear about the proposals and to raise concerns that they may have.

Council Members will be asked at the next City Committee meeting to instruct the Council to proceed to tender for the management of Inverness Victorian Market. If implemented, the management contract will run for a five year period.

A phased approach is proposed for the implementation of a new management plan for the market with stakeholder engagement a key factor in any proposed changes.

The Victorian Market is an asset of the Inverness Common Good Fund which is managed by The Highland Council on behalf of the ‘Trustees’ of the Common Good Fund. Replacement of the market’s roof at £0.966m in 2012 and works planned for the Academy Street entrance will result in the property operating at a loss to the Common Good Fund.

The Highland Council is duty bound to ensure that it attains the best possible return for Inverness Common Good Fund assets and members will consider seeking expressions of interest from the Private Sector for taking on the Management of the Market  as an appropriate method to gain better returns on the facility in the future as well as improve opportunity for business growth.

23 Dec 2015