A DARLINGTON business in the town's flagship indoor market has closed just three months after opening. 

Fresco Street Pizza Darlington opened in the refurbished venue in August, alongside five other tenants, and enjoyed an initial boom in interest. 

But despite thousands of customers attending the town centre shopping, food and nightlife venue each week, it has now closed after just three months of trading. 

The stall has been stripped of all cooking and food preparation equipment, save for the businesses logo, a menu board and empty pizza boxes.  

A former Facebook page advertising the business’s Darlington branch has been deleted, but its Instagram account remains online. 

Read more: We tried food at Darlington Market's new stalls

The Northern Echo: The stall has been stripped off all cooking and food preparation equipment The stall has been stripped off all cooking and food preparation equipment

Fresco's Consett and Esh Winning premises continue to trade while a new Hartlepool site is currently under construction.  

Three members of staff lost their jobs due to the closure and it is alleged they were not paid their full wages for November or December. Rent payments are also allegedly outstanding on the stall. 

Darlington Indoor Market operators Market Asset Management (MAM) say they were informed by the tenant that the business had gone into liquidation last month. 

But company director Daniel Spoors disputed the claims, saying that Fresco has left the market on its own terms. 

"We have left the market as we aren’t in contract to be there," he said. 

"Fresco Darlington ltd has not entered liquidation, just the site isn’t what we expected."

Read more: All the traders that have closed and left Darlington Market

The Northern Echo:

A spokesperson for Darlington Indoor Market operators Market Asset Management (MAM), which leases the building from Darlington Council, said: “A tenant, Daniel Spoors, informed us in a message on November 30 that one of his businesses had gone into liquidation.

“The company also employed the staff who sadly say they were not paid their full wages last month or this month.

“Rent is also outstanding and we are currently working with our lawyers and speaking with the tenant.

“We understand at least three members of staff are affected and are having to claim money through an insolvency company.

“It is comforting that one of the staff has been taken on by another unit within the market and another has secured alternative employment.”

MAM is now looking to find a replacement trader at the earliest opportunity and prospective tenants can email darlington@marketlettings.co.uk.

What next for the market? 

Initial work for phase two of the market's redevelopment has begun in the old Seymour's unit. 

Phase two will see shop fronts and units given a revamp and facelifts to both the Clock Tower and Central entrances, with new doors, better lighting and heat curtains giving people a gentle blast of warm air as part of a warm welcome included in the blueprint.

A new "Temperate Garden" is set to open in phase three as part of a makeover of the East Row elevation. The new area will provide an open-air feel and will also include the redevelopment of large sections of the Market Vaults.

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