14 out of 40 units at Mexborough Market were vacant at the end of 2022

Fourteen out of 40 trading units at Mexborough Market were vacant at the end of last year, a performance report from Doncaster Council has revealed.

The figure equates to 63 percent occupancy across the market.

Both Mexborough and Doncaster Markets were taken under ownership by private company Market Asset Management (MAM) in 2019, having been previously managed by the council.

At this time, the occupancy at Mexborough was 95 percent.

Doncaster Market has seen a rise in occupancy over the time period however, from 77 to 85 percent.

Short-term, it dropped slightly from 90 percent in the third quarter of the year.

Doncaster’s figures include all various elements such as the Wool Market, the food hall and the fish market.

The Corn Exchange is excluded from the figures, as a full renovation project is still taking place at the site.

In 2020, Doncaster Council gave the company a £910,000 bailout to account for profits lost due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

While data on the markets’ revenue is not available to the public, MAM reported to staff that footfall is now increasing to result in profits.

Earlier this year, several staff at Doncaster’s markets criticised the company for imposing rent increases on traders.

Traders were asked to accept a gradual rent increase to a total 20 percent of their turnover, or have their contracts terminated.

The decision was backed by Doncaster Council.