Relief for Souq Al Baraha traders

TDT | Manama

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The parliament approved an urgent proposal calling for government intervention to support tenants and investors at Souq Al Baraha in Diyar Al Muharraq, as traders warn that rising rents and weak footfall are pushing businesses to the brink.

The motion, led by MP Mohammed Al Olaiwi, urges the Ministry of Industry and Commerce and the Labour Fund (Tamkeen) to introduce rent relief, wage support for Bahraini employees, and to open talks with the market’s owners and management.

Al Olaiwi told parliament that many small and medium-sized traders were struggling with high operating costs, including rents and service charges, while customer numbers had declined. He said the downturn had been worsened by reduced regional tourism and visitor flows, which he linked to wider regional tensions affecting travel and spending patterns in the Gulf.

According to the proposal, traders say repeated rent increases and fees have become unsustainable, forcing some tenants to consider closure or legal disputes with management.