A 'much-loved' community shop in Huntingdonshire could be forced out of business after being hit with a massive rent increase. 

Jeyaseelan Thambirajah took over Leys Road Convenience Store in St Neots more than 15 years ago and has built up a loyal customer base. 

Despite its popularity, he said the store can "barely survive" another three months unless an agreement is reached with Huntingdonshire District Council, who own the site. 

Mr Thambirajah, 48, who also owns a store in Little Paxton, said he was contacted by the district council in 2007 to take over the Leys Road site which had previously fallen into administration. 

After agreeing to take on the site and fund building improvements, he was offered a reduction on his rent which continued until December 2023. 

He said: "After 15 years, the council informed me that the lease on the store is coming to an end and that the rent needed to be renegotiated. 

"They're now demanding I pay £21,200 in rent, which is more than double the £9,135 we were paying originally. I've been told I can either take it or leave it. 

"I told them that we simply can't afford to pay that amount and since then our legal team have been trying to get in contact but we never received an answer to our calls or emails for four weeks.

"If we can't negotiate a deal that reduces the rent, we can barely survive another three months."

Mr Thambirajah said the council has since issued him with a section 25 notice ordering him to vacate the site unless he agrees to pay the increased amount.

A section 25 notice enables the landlord of a commercial property to either bring an end to a commercial tenancy or suggest new terms for renewal. 

He added: "The bottom line is we were losing money before this because our outgoings were higher than our profit, so imagine now adding a huge rent increase on top of that. 

"I've been more than happy to negotiate a deal that works for both us and the council, but the district council is adamant that they are not going to accept it. They don't want to discuss it."

Mr Thambirajah said the stress surrounding the proposed rent increase caused him to suffer a minor heart attack earlier this year. 

"The whole situation has caused immense frustration and upset, and knowing that I might have to close the store is something I can't bear to think about. It's a tragedy. 

"It serves roughly 350 local people, many of whom rely on us seeing as the nearest supermarket isn't close by. 

"The shop is more than a store that just sells a wide range of products and items. It is for many the hub of the community, where people catch-up on local news and sadly for far too many people."

A spokesperson for Huntingdonshire District Council said: "Huntingdonshire District Council is in correspondence with the tenant’s solicitor to agree on new lease terms.

"This is in accordance with the 1954 Landlord and Tenant Act, which sets out a prescribed mechanism for agreeing current market rent terms."