Worried traders at The Shambles indoor market in Devizes say they fear that a proposed hike in their rent is a bid by the town council to “price us out”.

The traders say a proposed 10 per cent increase in their rent, which has been recommended to councillors by officers, could drive them out of business.

It would mean some of them having to find an extra £442 a year to cover it – which they are not confident of doing.

The authority's Recreation and Properties Committee has been asked to approve a rent increase. Officers are recommending that the charge for all the units in the Shambles are increased by 10 per cent, which will bring them in line with the outside traders in the Market Place. This would change the rents from £88.40 per week to £97.24 for a single unit and £165.40 to £181.94 for a double unit.

In defending the proposed increase, council officers argue: “Over the past three years the council has not set any rent increases for Shambles traders, whereas many of the Market Place Thursday traders saw a 10 per cent increase in the financial year 2021/22. There is a general indication that takings have gone back to pre-Covid-19 levels, with a comparable increase in footfall.”

But the traders argue that their recent takings have not increased.

“Takings have not gone back to our pre-Covid levels. Some days some of us don’t sell anything,” said a spokesman for the traders.

She added: “Takings are very up and down and this proposal to put up the rent comes at a time when we need higher sales, especially if we have to cover an increased rent.

“There is definitely a feeling among some of the traders that this could be an attempt to price us out of The Shambles, that the council can’t get rid of us any other way so they are going to put up the rent. This proposal is really not doing us a favour.”

The traders have been locked in a battle with the council for almost a year over a proposal to redevelop The Shambles to make it more appealing to younger shoppers who are believed to want more food outlets in the market.

Last August the town clerk Simon Fisher and market manager Mark Hill gave a presentation to the council on future options for the Shambles, which upset the traders.

Mr Hill explained: "We have to adapt to the changing face of retail. The older generation that have supported markets sadly will die out in the next five, ten, 15 or 20 years. If we don't fill that void in making the market a younger experience, then there will be a big gap."

Mr Fisher added: "Young people are generally not drawn to traditional market experiences. Food is becoming king. Every organisation, whether it be a market, supermarket or department store, is driving toward food."

A council spokesman said its finance working party was considering the rent rise proposal, which has not yet been approved but which would bring rents in line with those paid by other traders.