Trader could face bankruptcy after market stint

A former Derby Market Hall trader said he had to leave the flat he was renting and thought about filing for bankruptcy after a "nightmare" period at the centre.

Antonias Grimpokostas ran Tony's Greek Street Food, but after he said footfall in the market became virtually non-existent, he closed the unit in November and is now working two jobs to make a living.

"I lost my house, no payments, no money, I left without a job. I have payments and creditors and I'm already behind on that - I'm really facing bankruptcy," he said.

Derby City Council said the Market Hall had established itself as a destination and it was focused on delivering on its full potential going forward.

A recent review said the venue had no "clear commercial objectives" and no proper marketing plan, with the Hall forecast to make a loss of £338,000 next year.

Grimpokostas, 58, said he had 40 years' experience in the food industry and ran two restaurants in Chesterfield, which he said he closed due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

He saw the new Market Hall as a "good opportunity" and was impressed by the "very good job" the renovators had done.

However, he said the moving in process was rushed and his unit was not fully functioning for the May 2025 reopening, without essentials like hot water.

"It shouldn't have opened at that time. They got us in just a week before the opening. We hadn't seen the units," he said.

After a busy first couple of days, Grimpokostas said problems began to emerge with the lack of air conditioning in the building.

"The heat was unbelievable, especially because of the glass top roof. People were coming in one door and would go out of the other door, because they couldn't stand it," he said.

The city council's recent internal report suggested traders could have done more to market themselves, but Grimpokostas said the temperatures of the venue made it a difficult sell.

He added the manager and assistant manager of the Market Hall "did everything they could" to make the venue a success.

But he questioned the business acumen of their superiors at the council and agreed with the review that there was "no planning at all".

By autumn last year, the Greek food unit was making a significant loss and he closed in November.

"There's no footfall. [In] October and November there was no footfall at all," he said.

Grimpokostas told the BBC he lost about £50,000 and added he was now considering filing for bankruptcy after he had to leave his rented home because he could not pay the rent.

To raise funds, he has sold two catering vans and is in the process of selling other catering equipment.

He says he has since moved into a small flat with friends.

"[The council] has ruined my life, my health has also suffered," he added.

"How many jobs and reputations have been ruined by this?"

He strongly urged the council to sell the operation to a private operator, a move which leaders of the authority discussed on Wednesday.

Grimpokostas said he hoped that under new leadership, the Market Hall could be "thriving and vibrant" and is looking to reopen Tony's Greek Street Food in some form.

In a statement, a city council spokesperson said: "We understand that running a small business can be challenging, particularly in the current economic climate, and we appreciate the commitment and hard work our traders put into their businesses every day.

"Independent traders are at the heart of Derby Market Hall, and our aim is to create the best possible environment for them to succeed and grow.

"While we cannot comment on the circumstances of individual businesses, we remain committed to working with and supporting all traders operating within the Market Hall.

"The council's role is to promote Derby Market Hall as a destination and encourage more people to visit, while individual traders also play an important role in promoting their own businesses and building their customer base.

"Since the Market Hall reopened, we have offered traders access to business support and continue to promote the venue through a range of marketing and promotional activity. As with any newly reopened destination, the Market Hall continues to evolve, and we will keep working with traders to build footfall and maximise opportunities for businesses."

Additional reporting by George Torr

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