Crafts Alive vendors locked out over years-long rent arrears

Locks and barricades have been placed on the shop doors of vendors delinquent in paying rent.

About 15 vendors at Crafts Alive Village on Waterfront Drive, Road Town, were locked out of their shops on March 31 due to unpaid rent that had been accumulating for over a decade.

City Manager Janice Brathwaite-Edwards said the move came after repeated efforts to collect overdue fees failed.

“We have been coaxing our tenants at Crafts Alive to pay their outstanding debts,” she told ZBVI Radio. “In early February, we wrote to them, urging them to settle their balances or arrange a payment plan. Unfortunately, most ignored the request.”

With some vendors owing between $10,000 and $12,000, officials decided to lock out those with significant arrears to prompt action.

Years of unpaid rent

Crafts Alive vendors pay $250 per month in peak season and $150 per month in the off-season, totaling about $2,400 annually. However, Brathwaite-Edwards noted that small or inconsistent payments have failed to reduce large debts.

“You have a bill for thousands of dollars, and you make minimum payments—it’s not making a difference,” she explained.

Following the lockout, about half of the affected vendors visited the City Manager’s office on April 1 to discuss their payments, with more expected later.

“We have their invoices and statements ready, and we’ve asked them to bring their receipts, as some claim they owe less than recorded,” Brathwaite-Edwards stated.

Unused spaces could be reassigned

She also warned that vendors who haven’t used their stalls for years risk losing them permanently.

“If you haven’t used your space for five or six years, technically, it’s no longer assigned to you,” she said.

With the next tourist season approaching, Brathwaite-Edwards hinted at bringing in new vendors with fresh and innovative products.

“Hopefully, within the next couple of months, we will have some new vendors at Crafts Alive,” she added.