For around 30 years my parents have owned the business Fruity Tooty but now the council want to destroy that. 

During the pandemic we were placed in a Unit to help us cope with demand for fruit and Veg boxes during the lockdown (or at least that's what we thought we were being placed in there for).

It comes to light that the Council only placed us in this large unit so that they did not have to pay their own business rates and it also allowed them to claim additional money from the central government.

We were put on 3 month rolling contracts and as each came to expiry the Council would just email over that they will extend it again. Until our most recent renewal where they told us to vacate with only 10 days notice!

We had consistently asked for a longer lease and the Council made it clear that they would put us on a long lease (so we invested heavily) but this never happened.

We then became aware that the Council are taking a £1.8 million loan out to do up units 1,2 and 3 ready for the major retailer. We were never offered a similar deal.

We have invested heavily and worked incredibly hard to grow and create our business which is now at risk of being torn apart by the Council.

Our business plan was always to support new and upcoming small businesses who need that extra exposure and support. We pride ourselves on this! We wanted to give back to the local community and create a self sustaining ecosystem of small businesses, who we hope will flourish and create local jobs for local people. This was our goal but now this dream is in tatters and looks to be destroyed by a Conservative Councillor.

Please sign and support us in fighting off a Conservative Council intent on destroying home grown local businesses in favor of a major retailer.

My parents don’t deserve this, they work extremely hard for someone to tell them they aren’t worth it. I thought these people were meant to help us but they don’t, they rather the money. Shame on them. Local business are dying and they want supermarkets instead. 

Fight with us. Stand with the local business and stand against those who lie, destroy and damage business for their gain.