Firms say support package is 'too little too late'

Business owners facing eviction from a studio building say an offer of a three month free grace period from the incoming owners is "too little too late".

Commercial tenants of Ignite Studios were unexpectedly told in December to vacate the building by 9 January.

Last week the new owners offered a "community bridge" support package, including a three month rent free grace period for impacted businesses.

Incoming owners Neil and Faye Lomax said: "We are giving these clubs time to find permanent new homes on their own terms."

They added: "We refuse to let this building's next chapter begin with local businesses being left in the cold through no fault of their own."

Businesses who used the space have said the offer is not sufficient.

Becky Bailey, owner of tenants Ace Elite Cheerleaders said transparency would have been appreciated earlier in the process.

She said: "It's hard because we've kind of lost trust in everything. And it's the fact we're going to have to then go through it all again, come March, and find homes where some of us have already started."

Ms Bailey said she had three other venues she was considering moving to, and was waiting to finalise.

The community bridge support package is a private offering from the new owners and Ms Bailey said she felt the States could offer more support to commercial tenants.

The three-month extension has been praised by Deputy Chris Blin who said: "This at least gives them some breathing space to explore alternative options With Beau Sejour currently under review.

"I do hope there may be scope to look at whether some space could be allocated for a number of the tenants."

He added that he has raised the situation with the presidents of the committees for policy and resource and economic development.

Ceejay Merrien who ran Baby College from the building said the offering of three months rent was "too little too late".

She said: "I've now secured a new venue.

"We spent all of Christmas rushing around trying to get contact details of every hall and sports facility and then contacting them, viewing them and it's just a bit of a stressful time.

"It's a nice offering but I don't think it's going to be doable for us."

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