New England House in New England Street, Brighton, is home to nearly 100 businesses and is a creative hub for some stores preparing for the busy Christmas period ahead.
But workers were forced out of their offices at short notice after Brighton and Hove City Council closed the building due to “serious fire safety issues”.
Now, business owners have vented their frustrations that they are losing thousands of pounds worth of trade over the course of three days after only being told about the closure at 7pm on Friday.
Alice Rivers-Cripps, founder of jewellery company Posh Totty Designs, said: “This could cancel Christmas. If I’m not open by Tuesday I’m absolutely screwed – my business has a team of 50 people and it’s the busiest time of the year.
“This weekend we should have been full all weekend. We are talking about thousands of orders where we will be letting down our customers and our own reputation.”
Zenzie Tinker, who runs her own textile conservation company, added: “Every single day between now and the end of the year counts and we can’t deliver if we can’t go to work.”
Brighton and Hove City Council corporate director Donna Chisholm told tenants that the council aimed to re-open the building on Tuesday.
She added: “We are very sorry for the disruption this will cause to you and your business. However, immediate actions need to be taken as a result of new information we have received on fire safety in the building which we are addressing.”
A spokesman for Brighton and Hove City Council added that the building could be opened once fire wardens have been appointed – but that it would be limiting the opening hours to stop business owners working into the night.
Businesses fumed at the decision to limit opening hours, pointing out that they were all creative businesses which work seven days a week and unsociable hours.
Eugene Zakharenko, who runs an embroidery and garment business in New England House, said: “We had been doubling and tripling the work force to keep up.
“This is like leaving your cat or child for a weekend and going away – it won’t die straight away but the business relies on momentum.”
James Ginsler, also of Posh Totty, added: “Makers make Christmas and the council have pretty much cancelled it.
“We need the council to understand that they can’t just cancel us at 7pm on a Friday evening. We have people that rely on us for Christmas.”
Ms Chisholm added: “We are truly sorry for the inconvenience and potential loss of income this temporary closure causes. The council is committed to ensuring the safety of everyone and are working diligently to reopen the building on Tuesday.
“We recognise the financial impact this may have and will of course offer compensation for specific losses if tenants can provide evidence.”
Businesses in the eight-storey high-rise say they could lose tens of thousands of pounds in trade over the next few days – with one owner estimating the building as a whole could see £250,000 go down the drain.
Business owners also claimed they had been previously told by the council that they would not be disrupted by any works in the lead up to the crucial Christmas period.
They also expressed concerns about what the effect on their business could be if they are forced out of the aging building permanently.
New England House was built in 1963 as a first-of-its-kind high-rise business complex.
Many of the traders say they have been in New England House for decades.
According to the Brighton and Hove City Council website the building offers over 11,000 square metres of floor space over eight storeys, providing accommodation to over 100 businesses.
The council website admits that the building is “aged and in urgent need of refurbishment”.
The council added it would be meeting with tenants to discuss the fire safety report and the steps being taken next week.
