No agreement has been reached between Rosebank Mall landlords, Hyprop Investments Limited and market managers B&B Markets.
B&B Markets’ Brad Fisher said they had asked Hyprop to change their position before the close of business on 18 July. Fisher said that, should Hyprop fail to respond, B&B Markets would begin steps to seek legal recourse for damages, would accept the illegal cancellation of the lease, and would sign a lease agreement at a new venue.
Fisher hoped that an appeal against a ruling upholding Hyprop’s termination of the market’s lease awarded in favour of B&B Markets might have made Hyprop reconsider, but the property company’s Nikki Catrakilis-Wagner said the Arbitration Appeal Tribunal’s ruling would be challenged.
“We are in the process of preparing a review application, and will file the papers in due course,” she said.
While the legal battle drags on, traders desperate to keep their businesses alive have found new trading venues at the Hillfox and Irene markets, and in the parking lot of the Hospice Wits charity shop in Orange Grove.
The market saga has affected not only landlords, market managers and traders, but residents and business owners in Rosebank and surrounds as well.
In an email addressed to Hyprop, B&B Markets, Rosebank Mall, Rosebank Management District and ward councillor Tim Truluck, chairperson of the Rosebank Region Accommodation Association, Tony Sparks decried the situation and lack of communication surrounding it.
“We cannot accept that the owners of Rosebank Mall are unaware that the Rooftop Market is the one destination that we all recommend our guests visit when they ask what they can do on a Sunday.” – Tony Sparks
“Our association consists of 30 members contained within the suburbs directly surrounding Rosebank. We cannot accept that the owners of Rosebank Mall are unaware that the Rooftop Market is the one destination that we all recommend our guests visit when they ask what they can do on a Sunday. Would (they) prefer that we now direct our guests only to visit Arts on Main?” he wrote.
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