18 Grocery, an Asian food shop at Brighton Open Market, stopped trading on 8 October 2026. In a farewell post on Instagram, the shop blamed the market’s management for its closure. Brighton Open Market has now given ImJustBrighton its response, saying the allegations are unfounded.
The shop, which has also traded as The Century 18, says mismanagement and unfair treatment of small traders made it impossible to carry on. The market says rent and service charge rises were needed to tackle a historic operating deficit.
Here is what each side has said, how customers reacted, and what the public record shows.
What 18 Grocery said
The shop posted its farewell on its Instagram account on 10 October. It said 18 Grocery had officially ceased trading at the market on 8 October, and thanked customers, saying many had become friends.
The post said that since new management took over, “mismanagement, dishonesty, oppression and unfair treatment of small traders” had made running the business harder. It said that from February to April this year market management forced the shop to stop selling hot dim sum, its main source of income.
The shop said this, together with rent increases it described as unreasonable and a doubling of the service charge, created a domino effect that made it impossible to keep trading.
What customers said
When we checked, the post had 26 likes and 13 comments. Most of the comments are messages of thanks and good wishes from customers.
A few commenters also criticised the market’s new management. These are the views of individual commenters, not findings.
What Brighton Open Market said
The market sent its statement to ImJustBrighton on Tuesday 27 October. It opened by expressing regret, before rejecting the shop’s claims:
“It is always sad to see a business close, and we are sorry that 18 Grocery felt unable to continue trading at Brighton Open Market. However, the allegations made by them are unfounded and do not reflect the financial realities facing the market.”
On why rents and charges went up, the market pointed to its finances:
“The Market CIC, working with elected trader representatives, is addressing a historic operating deficit that threatened the market’s long-term future. Following a review of the finances and advice from professional advisers, rent and service charge increases were considered necessary to begin to safeguard the market’s viability.”
It also gave figures on how long charges had been frozen, and on the latest rise:
“The market had not increased rents for 10 years before 2025 or service charges for seven years before 2026. Had increases been introduced annually, as is normal practice, they would have been more gradual. The average daily service charge increase for traders, implemented in October, is £5.32.”
On traders in debt, the statement said:
“The Market CIC has sought to work with traders on outstanding debt balances, while also having a responsibility to manage its finances fairly and sustainably for other traders.”
The market added that footfall is increasing, that the market is being regenerated after years of neglect, and that a number of businesses are thriving.
Where the two accounts differ
The two sides agree that rent and service charge rises took place. They disagree on the cause and on how fair the increases were. The shop describes a doubling of the service charge, while the market gives the average daily rise in pounds. Neither gives the old and new totals, so the two figures describe the same charge in different ways.
The shop’s claim about hot dim sum does not appear in the market’s statement to us. We asked the market why the shop had left and whether the unit would be let again, and its reply did not mention hot food.
About the shop and the market
The market’s own listing for the shop describes 18 Grocery as a wholesaler and retailer specialising in Asian foods, with dim sum, homemade Asian appetisers, desserts and drinks to eat in or take away.
Brighton Open Market is in central Brighton, between London Road and Ditchling Road. The council, which owns the market, says it reopened on 19 July 2014 after redevelopment, with 45 new tenants.
The market is managed by Brighton Open Market CIC, a community interest company incorporated on 10 March 2011, according to Companies House. The council says its board includes representatives of the traders, the council, The Ethical Property Company and The Hyde Group, plus independent directors.
What happens next
The market says it is already looking for a replacement for the empty unit:
“We are already in discussions with prospective tenants to fill the vacated shop and continue to receive interest from local businesses keen to join the market.”
It closed its statement with a line about its priorities: “Our priority remains securing a sustainable future for Brighton Open Market and the independent businesses that make it special.”
ImJustBrighton note. This report is based on the shop’s public Instagram post, the market’s statement to us, and council and Companies House records. Reports by other outlets are attributed to them. We will update it if either side adds to its account or if a new business is announced for the unit.
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