Traders in dark over Hanley bus station leases
BUSINESSES operating in Hanley's crumbling bus station are demanding answers over their short-term futures.
Leases on the shops run out this Christmas as building work continues on Hanley's new £15 million bus station elsewhere in the city centre.
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ANGER: Kenneth Walkaden has run A & K Walkaden dry cleaners at the bus station for 32 years. Pictures: Phil Radcliffe
But the new station will not be ready to open until January to leave the traders unsure whether they will close at Christmas.
They have criticised Stoke-on-Trent City Council and its development partner Realis Estates for a lack of information about what happens next.
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Kenneth Walkaden, aged 57, who has run A & K Walkaden dry cleaners at the bus station for 32 years, said: "Slowly, all the shops have closed in this area. The steps have fallen to pieces and the council has just put a bit of fencing around them.
"It's an absolute disgrace. They've had to put boards up around all the empty shop windows to stop vandals attacking them and putting graffiti all over.
"People use this area as a toilet and shoppers go out of their way to avoid walking through here if they can."
Mr Walkaden, who has six members of staff, says he will be forced to close his business when the bus station moves.
He added: "I don't really know what I'll do but there's no way the business can bounce back from this.
"We've already had to cut back on staff because business is so slow.
"Now I'll have to pay redundancies out of my own pocket.
"It just feels like we've been kept in the dark."
Staff at the newsagents' shop within the bus station are also unclear about when the business will close.
Owner Peter Wilkinson, aged 62, who has worked at the shop since the age of 17, said: "No-one from the council has contacted us about when our lease is up. I have tried to contact them on a number of occasions but I can't get a clear idea of what is going to happen after the move.
"The date of the move is now February 2013, but our lease is up at Christmas.
"We thought we might be offered some compensation because really we should be able to keep going until February but it doesn't look like we will be able to."
Peter says he will retire when the new bus station opens.
He added: "There's not much point me looking for a new job now. This newsagents's shop was my life. My family work here, everyone who works for me has done so for several years and now I've got to find the money to give everyone a redundancy package."
The new John Street bus station is the first phase of the £350 million City Sentral shopping centre, which will be partly built on the site of the existing bus station.
The city council refused to comment.
Comments
by shotgun_tez
Tuesday, October 16 2012, 8:44PM
“deary deary me council at it again...........to a now outsider there still a total clueless lot”
by RegenMan1
Tuesday, October 16 2012, 4:13PM
“"The date of the move is now February 2013, but our lease is up at Christmas.
Strange, the recent council press release stated that the new bus station would be finished before christmas but that they were waiting until January so as not to disrupt christmas trading!”
by RegenMan1
Tuesday, October 16 2012, 4:10PM
“@ by I_Norris
But the recent council publicity states only one kiosk - be it one or three, both are a reduction from the original plans for the bus station which promised 2 proper shops and 2 freestanding kiosks. Strangely enough the plans available on-line are rather unclear about the internal layout of the new bus station. Just as they are unclear about many details.
I understand that the lease prices at the new bus station are substantially higher than the shops (quoted in the article) are currently paying, and as a result they have said no thank you to the new bus station.
Another spectacular failure by our council, Spend £16m on a new facility and price out all of the facilities that passengers would like, such as a reasonably priced cup of coffee and a warm waiting area.
How long before the council comes clean and tells us how much it will cost to use the toilets in the new facility?
PS given the requirement for all 'reserved matters' to be determined by the Development Management Committee and not under delegated powers, does the bus station actually have planning permission? Just wondered!”
by jonesystoke
Tuesday, October 16 2012, 12:16PM
“SOT Council = t.o.s.s.e.r.s.
To puke out the usual "no comment" when folks businesses are on the line is despicable. A bunch of self-serving scumbags is what they are!!”
by DizzyDave1960
Tuesday, October 16 2012, 12:09PM
“We are always kept in the dark by our Schity City Council. In fact, I'm usually left speechless and dumbfounded by their actions...!”
by I_Norris
Tuesday, October 16 2012, 12:04PM
“Lease for 3 kiosks currently advertised on BWD website. Youd think would extend lease maybe rent free for disruption.
But no Comment from Council is shocking”
by longtom
Tuesday, October 16 2012, 11:51AM
“Leave your cushy council job early, get £170,000 pay off ; Be forced out of business by incompetent, planless council and have to pay your loyal workers redundancy out of your own pocket !! Another triumph for Stoke on trent”
by strandedhere
Tuesday, October 16 2012, 11:11AM
“"The city council refused to comment"?
And yet they've usually got lots to say in their own organ,'Ars....sorry,'Our City'.
Funny,that.”
by MusicHallFan
Tuesday, October 16 2012, 11:07AM
“"The city council refused to comment." Typical of this council and it's officers. People's livelihoods are at stake and they refused to comment! Surely there must be a plan in place as to what businesses are going to be allowed on the new tin shed? (Sorry, bus station) Why can't they just tell the truth? Or hadn't they thought about it?”