TRADERS in one of York's most historic streets say they are worried about their future due to high and increasing rent prices.

Phil Pinder is chair of the Shambles Area Traders' Association, and said City of York Council - which controls about 70 per cent of the commercial premises in the street - are "acting like bullies", charging far more than private landlords for shops of similar sizes.

Mr Pinder said that of the 37 ground floor shops in Shambles, 19 have changed hands in the last three years, and eight were currently looking to leave or empty.

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He accused the council of using a 'sealed bid' process to let empty shops, in a move which forces prices higher, and has caused shops including Something Different, Home & Fragrance and Ramshambles, to close.

Mr Pinder said: "They use a team of experts and professionals to baffle people into thinking the prices they promote are fair and just. The turnover of business in the street clearly says something different, with half the shops having changed in just three years.

"If my business had to solely rely on the shop for trade, we would not be able to survive at the price we currently pay, coupled with the four figure increase in business rates we have just had."

Mr Pinder said much of his own business was now done online, and "whether we will be here when our lease is up for renewal in a couple of years is now in doubt".

Traders claimed the council valued "how much a business is worth by how much people are willing to pay for it", but that "a business only lasts as long as it’s profitable".

Mr Pinder said: "We’ve seen the [number of] businesses on the market, and if you count up the shops changing hands in the last three years, that’s 50 per cent, which is very high. The normal state of turnover should be about eight to 10 per cent."

Two properties currently on the market include the council-owned property at 46 Shambles - formerly Ramshambles - currently advertised for £1,259 per square metre of dedicated sales space per year, and the larger, privately-owned property at 27 - currently The Art Shop - which is up for £621 per square metre of sales space per year.

Adam Scott of the Shambles Sweet Shop said most traders expected an increase in rents of between 15 and 25 per cent every five years, which he said was concerning.

He said: "It's worrying and it's heard to understand when we've got so many businesses moving out or trying and unable to move out, because they can't get rid of their leases.

"The business is doing okay, last year I worked 350 out of 365 days. We're working very hard and for someone to say suddenly you're doing so well we can take extra from you, it's like a salary cut. I would get away with 25 per cent this time, but in five years time when they re-rate the values, it' could push me to try and do something else. It's not a matter of the money, it's what we have to do to get the money."

Keith McLean runs Shambles Tavern and holds the lease for Something Different, which currently stands empty.

He said: "By closing the door we stop business rates, but still have to pay rent. We felt it was better doing that than paying workers and business rates.

"I think there's a really good mix of outlets now, but there's a danger of killing the golden goose really. It's no question the impact of the internet, retail outlets and that kind of thing.

"We have to do something about it. Allowing shops to close and hoping someone comes along with a good idea isn't the right way to do it. I think it's more about what the council want to do for the city. It's no good one person moaning. What are the council trying to do for the city in terms of retail?"

A spokeswoman for City of York Council said the council regularly received multiple bids for units, and gives bidders the opportunity to submit best and final offers.

She said it was in no-ones interests to have vacant properties, and the authority was experiencing record occupation of its commercial properties and was satisfied it was striking the right balance between rent levels, desirability and commercial viability.

She said: "We have always been open and willing to discuss individual circumstances with our tenants in Shambles to ensure it remains a successful location within York. Like any landlord, we also have to ensure that we can achieve best value for our assets, but when we do this we always seek to strike the right balance between rent levels and its desirability."

Traders are meeting this week with Councillor Janet Looker and MP Rachael Maskell to raise their concerns, but City of York Council said their rent calculations were fair and based on current market values.