“I feel very depressed because I don’t know what to do.”

These were the words of Vivian David as she packed her bags to leave Nottingham’s Victoria Market.

She is one of three traders invited to hand over the keys to her store on the top floor of the shopping center on Thursday, with the other traders being evicted later in March.

The municipal council first announced its intention to close the market in 2022, then said it had terminated legal agreements with traders who had violated the clauses and “significant rent arrears”.

But Ms David, 53, says “the pressure is building more and more” because she is not sure what to do next with her business.

“I’m worried because I’ve invested a lot of money (in my business),” she said. “It’s affecting my mental health.”

When the market’s closure was first announced, Labor officials said they had been forced to subsidize it for almost a decade since the centre’s previous owners, Intu, raised service charges.

The council said all traders who breached their legal agreements by not paying their rent have now been officially informed of their departure.

Ms David, who runs clothing store Vivi Collection, said her lawyer contacted the council in August and September to provide an update on the situation.

She said she only received an email from the council’s lawyer on Thursday telling her she “would have to return all the keys” that same day.

The email, seen by the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS)says that it must sell its stock within a reasonable time, and that this must be done by appointment.

“I was waiting for them to respond to my request to see what I could do,” she said.

“The worst thing is that they keep sending you letters, they tell you if you don’t pay your rent and we (the municipality) will sue you.

“But they are not keeping what they promised to do. I wouldn’t be in debt if they told me I had to pack my bags and they would give me compensation. I should have gone now.”

Ms David said she remained in the market because the council had promised her “adequate compensation” as part of its previous plans to negotiate an early exit from the market.

The authority has about 50 years remaining on its market lease.

However, negotiations with center director Global Mutual, which took over from Intu after its bankruptcy, broke down in June last year.

A few months later, in December, after the the board declared effective bankruptcythe traders were then informed that the council had decided to end the lease by the summer or fall of 2024.

The closing date no longer materialized.

Ms David says she has since accumulated rent arrears due to low attendance, poor communication from the council and uncertainty surrounding the planned closure.

Carol Lilley, another trader, said she “put my heart and soul into this market” for 39 years running her underwear store.

“And that’s what they did to me,” she told the BBC.

The 66-year-old says that although she has until March to actually leave the market, she “can’t afford to stay.”

“I claimed my private pension to continue living,” she added.

A Nottingham City Council spokesperson said a meeting was held in September with traders to confirm their intention to close the market.

“Unfortunately, several traders have breached their legal agreements by failing to pay their rent, and collectively owe the council more than £400,000,” they added.

“Any trader with significant unpaid rent has been or will be formally ordered to leave the market.

“As the council faces significant financial challenges, it is crucial that we resolve these outstanding rent issues.

“Additionally, we will terminate legal agreements with merchants who have enforceable termination clauses to cease their occupancy in the market.”