Business boss angry at being ‘gazumped’ over shop move
HE SAYS HE WAS ‘STRUNG ALONG’ BY COUNCIL IN 18 MONTHS OF NEGOTIATIONS
A BUSINESS owner who planned to move into the old Argos in Beeston has been left furious after he was “gazumped” by a mysterious new occupier.
Virtual reality gaming company Core VR had been looking forward to moving into the former Argos shop in The Square, which has been empty for a number of years, as part of the town’s regeneration.
Core VR announced it would be moving into the refurbished Argos unit in 2023 after starting talks with Broxtowe Borough Council in 2022, and received planning permis- sion to put up its branded signs in May last year.
However, director David Cotterell now says the company will have to move to Derby after drawn-out discussions with the council ended without explanation.
Mr Cotterell took to Facebook to share his disappointment with Beeston residents that his company had been “gazumped” after what he described as “18 months of being strung along”.
He has now further struck out at Broxtowe Borough Council for, in his view, costing the company valuable time and money.
“Throughout the course of our interactions with Broxtowe Borough Council and their solicitors, we have encountered a series of challenges, which have left us with a growing suspicion that these obstacles may have been deliberately placed in our path from the outset,” he said. Despite what Mr Cotterell described as collaborative efforts, including that Core VR was willing to move into the unit without having car parking, he said the lease negotiations were discontinued in September last year.
He also claims the business did not make an interim move to Long Eaton as the council had asked the firm to “bear with them”, before delaying the decision and then thwarting the Beeston move. “We believe that we have been unduly subjected to undue delays and associated costs. The inability to proceed with the lease has resulted in a significant financial setback to us, undermining the viability of our business.
“The VR equipment that we purchased for this has now become outdated but luckily enough they are still usable.
“While we acknowledge their statement that we have not been gazumped and the removal of other properties from the market relating to the former Argos building, we remain puzzled by the lack of clarity regarding the council’s rationale for this decision.
“We now know the reasons for the council’s decision, as they had been in negotiations with another company while keeping us in play and deciding which opportunity is more beneficial to them.”
Mr Cotterell also questioned if the “right hand knew what the left hand is doing”, as he had not been offered any other potential premises, despite public statements from local Broxtowe Borough councillors about encouraging new businesses into the area.
The firm previously said its gaming arena would give customers the opportunity to play games and tackle missions with their friends in an immersive experience with cutting-edge technology, as well as take on virtual reality escape rooms.
Broxtowe Borough Council said that no deals had been concluded between itself and Core VR, adding that the council was in talks with a different, unnamed third party.
“No contracts or exclusivity contracts were signed between Broxtowe Borough Council and Core VR,” a spokesperson said. “The council are currently in negotiations with a third party regarding the use of the Argos building.”
We have a suspicion that these obstacles may have been deliberately placed in our path from the outset. David Cotterell