Sad photos show a barren Victoria Market as it prepares to close for good

With just a few months to go until its full closure, the iconic Victoria Centre Market is a shadow of its former self. 

Nottingham World visited the market in the second week of February, with traders now in the process preparing for it to completely close this summer. 

Last December, Nottingham City Council confirmed that the once-bustling market would close for good after several years of decline. 

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At the time Pavlos Kotsonis, the city council's portfolio holder for leisure and culture, said: "We understand how difficult the past year has been for stallholders and are sorry that it has taken so long to provide more clarity on the situation.

"Budgetary factors and internal discussions have undoubtedly delayed the decision-making process, and we would have liked to be able to update traders before now.

"In its heyday, Victoria Market was a busy, popular venue but sadly it has been under-used for years.

"There is an ever-decreasing number of loyal customers who retain great affection for it, but, more widely, people's shopping habits have changed.”

The council, which has subsidised the market’s operation for several years, effectively declared itself bankrupt last year after reporting a £23 million overspend in the 2023/24 financial year.

Since then, no new stalls have been allowed to open and dozens have closed down. 

Although no date has been set for the market to fully close this summer, a short walk around the site certainly suggests that its days are numbered. 

As of February 6, far less than a quarter of the market’s units are occupied and some have even had their metal shutters removed. 

Scroll down to see photos of the market in its final few months of existence.