Traders in Nottingham's oldest independent shopping arcade are being forced out of the premises where they have been in business for well over a decade. They have been told in a letter from an agent acting for the landlord that they must vacate the top floor of West End Arcade.
A music shop, T-shirt printing shop, a hair salon and barbers, with entry via Upper Parliament Street, have to move out in April. Shops and a cafe on the lower floor, with an entrance off Long Row, are unaffected since they have a different landlord.
The decision came as a shock to the shopkeepers - especially as they were initially told in January that they had just 30 days to leave. When they complained about the short notice, the landlord agreed to extend the deadline to April 8. Traders said they hadn't been offered any compensation or financial help towards relocation costs.
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There are rumours that the upper floor where they have based could be knocked down to make way for new student accommodation, a move which is likely to block off the the thoroughfare between between the two streets. David Rose, owner of Music Inn, said: "I've been in this shop nearly 20 years.
"Hand on heart it was on the back of my mind for quite some time. This arcade is very run down, it has changed hands several times with landlords we have never met or had any real correspondence with.
"You always deal with an agent. You could see they weren't spending any money on it and were reluctant to do little things like replace tubes in the roof lights that have been gone for ages.
"We were originally given 30 days. It was very short notice and we took some advice from lawyers and everyone we've spoken to and the local MP said they can't give you a month's notice. If nothing else morally it's wrong.
"I spoke to the landlord's agent and his words were 'what can we do to make you happy?' I said you can go away and leave us alone but that's not going to happen.
"I said treat us with respect, we're tenants, we've been paying rent, we've been paying service charge. We don't give you any aggravation for anything other than the things you should be doing," said Mr Rose, who took over the family business that first began in Alfreton Road in 1919.
When the shop, with around 5,000 CDs and vinyl records, moved to West End Arcade it was located on the lower level but moved upstairs after the landlord wanted to hike up the rent.
"We moved up here about 20 years ago. It's a bigger unit. This was half the price so it was a good move then but obviously not now."
Mr Rose said he hopes to relocate but it might not be an option for all the other businesses. "I can think of a couple of people who have already given up because they've come up against this brick wall of phenomenally high rents.
"That is the extra annoyance, the fact all of us have looked at empty properties in Nottingham, some of which have been empty for years, and the rents are phenomenally high but there is no flexibility. You ring up and say I'm interested in the shop, how much is it? It's X. Is there a deal? No. Surely someone somewhere should be saying why don't you let it at a reasonable price even if its only for a year. Regenerate some life into this dead area.
He said he is saddened that the city is becoming homogenised with the same chains as anywhere else, while smaller independent businesses that give it a unique character are being driven out. "All that happens is that it becomes another coffee shop or nail bar, ironically all things you can't get on the internet," he said.
"The arcade used to be busy. Everyone was open. There was a cafe here - it was a different world then, there was a greasy spoon, a chap who repaired tennis rackets and a lady who sold wigs.
"It's a much smaller market now. You think has the time come, is somebody trying to tell me something - pull the plug and walk away - but I don't want to do that and I think Nottingham as with all cities will be poorer if small shops go because once they've gone there's no coming back. That's the frightening aspect."
While none of the traders know what their landlord is planning, they and their customers suspect it could be turned into student accommodation. Mr Rose said: "Give me a pound for everyone who says it's going to be student flats and I wouldn't need to be here with the shop. I'd be in the Seychelles.
"There's no planning application. But if you're not planning to do anything with the place why not give us until the middle of the year, what's the rush?"
Troy Bartholomew, manager of the Rendez-Vous Barber Shop, said they are in the dark about the future of the arcade and as yet haven't been able to find new premises.
Mr Bartholomew, who has worked there for nearly 16 years, said: "We don't have much information. We had a letter out of the blue stating that we've got to move by the said date and that's it really.
"Obviously we are very disturbed about it but there's nothing we can do. We are busy. We've been here a long time. Change happens.
"I personally have no idea what the plans are for the building. There are whispers about student accommodation but I'm not sure. There's no confirmation from the landlords. Downstairs has a different landlord so I don't know how it's going to work."
Barber shop customer Kevin Peters, of Stapleford, said: "It's unbelievable. The business has been running for a long time, they give a good service. It's definitely going to be a loss. It makes no sense."
Nottingham City Council owns the arcade but leases it on a long-term basis to a management company which deals with the day-to-day running. A spokesperson said it would be in appropriate to comment as it has had nothing to do with the decision.
Salford-based Portfolio Properties is the landlord. Nottinghamshire Live has contacted the company for a comment but hasn't had a response.
West End Arcade has been a part of Nottingham's experience from the 1920s. The upper section was added in the 1960s. An escalator used to link the two floors but it was removed after an accident in 2012.
A 24-year-old musician's toe was ripped off when his foot became trapped. A court case followed resulting in a £75,000 fine for the arcade's then managing agent. Access between the two levels is now via steps.
Last year plans to improve the arcade were scrapped after Nottingham City Council was allocated less funding than it hoped for by the Government's Future High Street Fund.
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