Flower and food markets ‘will close without extra cash help’

TRADERS at London’s largest wholesale markets today warned that they would not survive the pandemic unless they received urgent support from the Government.

New Covent Garden Market, New Spitalfields Market and Western International Market supply flowers and fresh food to the capital’s top restaurants and hotels, as well as canteens and schools.

But trading is down 90 per cent on pre-Covid levels and stall holders say they have been denied the financial support offered to some of their customers in the hospitality industry.

The Covent Garden Tenants Association called for financial support including business rate exemptions to be extended to their markets, tax break allowances and grants for companies who had to dispose of fresh stock at short notice because of lockdown restrictions.

It also called for wholesale flower markets to be allowed to open for in-person trade in time for mother’s day on March 14, which is the busiest date in the floristry calendar.

Association chairman Gary Marshall said: “The way the Government has managed business rates relief is unjust. Pubs, restaurants and hotels have received support and rightly so. But the supermarkets, who are busier than ever with record sales and profit, have all received business rates relief yet we have not.

“We are the suppliers of all those pubs, restaurants and hotels and without further support I fear that many wholesale businesses won’t be here to support the UK in reopening its hospitality sector and to help London thrive once again.”

Traders said they hope to see new support measures announced in Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s spring budget next week.