FARMERS’ market traders are outraged at plans by their Didcot landlord to increase their annual rent by almost 1,100 per cent.

Hammerson, which owns the Orchard Centre, wrote to the Thames Valley Farmers’ Market Co-operative last month, proposing to raise the yearly fee from £375 a year to £4,485 a year.

Stallholders said the new charge was beyond what they could afford – and warned Didcot could face losing the monthly market if it was not renegotiated.

About 20 traders sell local produce, including meat from rare breed cattle, cheeses and vegetables, outside the Sainsbury’s store at the shopping centre on the second Saturday of each month.

The company said the new rent was still about 50 per cent less than the rent paid by other farmers’ markets nationally.

Simon Betty, development executive for Hammerson, said: “The farmers’ market is popular with our customers and we have recently looked at both the market and other potential opportunities within the public space.

“As part of this review, we have compared the cost for commercial licences for markets similar to that at the Orchard Centre.

“We spoke to the Thames Valley Farmers’ Market about the review and a potential increase in rent for the space.

“As part of this, we asked them for feedback on the proposed rental increase and offered a further meeting to discuss the review.

“The review provided the farmers’ market an opportunity to offer feedback on the proposal, and we appreciate that there is a substantial increase in the proposed rent.

“However, this is a reduction of around 50 per cent on the national average for an event such as this throughout the year.

“We are still happy to discuss the review with the farmers’ market and would welcome their feedback.

“It is in the interest of both parties to ensure the licence remains competitive and for the farmers’ market to continue.”

Market chairman Jane Bowler, from East Hanney, said the traders wanted to work with Hammerson to come up with an affordable fee.

She said: “The last thing we want to do is lose the market.

“If we can’t afford it, we will have to find somewhere else in Didcot – and if we can’t, then that will be the end of the market.

“We’re losing small businesses in towns and as a farmers’ market we can get people to come back into town, so the whole town benefits from our visit.”

She added: “We want to be able to continue but we cannot run at a loss.”

Jeanette Howse, who sells her preserves at the market – one of 10 accredited farmers’ markets in the county, was outraged by the news.

She said: “The market supports the other businesses in the Orchard Centre and the rest of the town.”