TALKS are already taking place to fill the empty unit left in the Sovereign Shopping Centre in Boscombe following the mysterious closure of an indoor market.

Zervo Flexi Village closed suddenly last month following months of uncertainty.

The company reportedly owes energy company E.ON around £90,000, and in February bailiffs turned off the electric supply.

For weeks the business continued to operate after the owners were able to gain a temporary licence for a generator at the site.

Then last month the business closed again and a note marked ‘shop temporarily closed’ was taped to a window.

The note has since been removed and all items inside the property removed, and the shutters have been drawn down across the front doors.

It was unclear whether the owners would be returning as many of the traders told the Echo that "no one had been told anything".

But now the Echo can reveal that the shopping centre owners, NewRiver Retail, are already in talks with a potential new tenant for the unit in Christchurch Road.

Sovereign Shopping Centre manager Peter Ruscoe said: "NewRiver are currently in discussions with a potential tenant for a long term solution for the unit and look forward to announcing soon."

When asked about Zervo Flexi Village, he said: "CC Business Angels took out a short term lease for 616-622 Christchurch Road back in October 2015 and still currently hold the lease for the unit.

"We have been informed that they have arrears with their electrical company."

However he also praised the indoor market for the "positive impact it has had on the Boscombe business community".

He added: "Since opening and a number of independent retailers were able to trial their retail concept and when successful expand into taking a retail unit of their own.

"Happy Buddha and Mint Sisters are two great examples of this where they started their business within Zervo Flexi Village and due to the success, grown to have their own retail units.”

Zervo Flexi Village opened in the former TJ Hughes unit in 2015. It covers 45,000 square feet.

The market operated as a concession-style department store which allows traders to rent a space and sell their own goods.