Salamanca Market stallholders condemn Hobart City Council rent rise

Enraged Salamanca Market stallholders say a planned rise to their rents by council would cripple many local businesspeople and make it one of the most expensive markets in the country.

Alexander Chaplin of 7k Distillery, Emma Hope president of the Salamanca Stallholders Association, Jamie Seeger of Hobart Bead Co who are all Salamanca Market stallholders. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

SALAMANCA Market stallholders have vowed to fight what they describe as a “massive” hike in rents from the council.

Stallholders pay a weekly fee to the council based on stall size and location, with insurance and marketing levies and GST on top.

Hobart City Council is proposing an increase but the exact amount cannot be revealed because council officers have imposed secrecy provisions during talks.

Stallholders say the rise is substantial and could make the market the most expensive in the nation and the rent hike could mean the difference between operating at a profit and loss as other costs rise with inflation.

Salamanca Market Stallholders Association president Emma Hope says what the Hobart City Council was planning would hurt more than 300 small business operators.

“Council’s proposal to jack up stallholder rents will make Salamanca one of the most expensive markets in the country,” she said.

“Everyone knows the cost of living and the cost of doing business is going through the roof and if council increases rent it could do serious damage to many stallholders.

“After a tough couple of years with Covid restrictions in place, this could be the straw that breaks the camel’s back for many stallholders.”

Salamanca Market. Photo: Alastair Bett

The weekly markets are the state’s number one tourist attraction in visitor survey, ahead of Mt Wellington and Mona and last year celebrated their 50th anniversary.

They attract around 20,000 people in summer.

“We’re already seeing that people visiting the market have less money to spend,” Ms Hope said.

“Conditions are only going to get tougher as interest rates and the cost of living soar.

“Our stallholders pride themselves on making the market a really vibrant, fun and creative place that locals love and visitors have at the top of their to-do list.

“Some of our stallholders have razor thin margins and a massive rent hike could tip them over the edge.

“We urge council to scrap the rent hike, or at the very least simply increase rent by CPI rather than trying to pick the pockets of stallholders.”

Ms Hope said many of the candidates at last year’s local government elections spoke of the importance of supporting the markets and small businesses and she was hoping that support would be evident in the decision council reached.

She said she understood that there was a meeting to consider the proposed rent rises and a new licence agreement next week ahead of a formal vote on March 20.