A charitable trust that says it returned more than $2.35 million to the community wants to know why it lost its licence to operate Māngere Markets after 29 years.However, Auckland Council says the change followed a local board-requested expression of interest process.Māngere Markets Trust ceased operating the market at Māngere Town Centre on 30 May after Auckland Council awarded a new five-year licence for the site to Twosevenfive Foundation, which now operates as 275 Markets.The change followed a 2025 decision by the Māngere-Ōtāhuhu Local Board to undertake an expression of interest (EOI) process to find a new market operator.Auckland Council said two EOI rounds were held in 2025, attracting eight applications, with Twosevenfive Foundation selected because it better met the assessment criteria.The local board did not respond to questions about why it sought a new operator after 29 years.A trust spokesperson said the organisation was "very disappointed" and surprised by the outcome.The spokesperson said the trust established and operated the market nearly three decades ago and had reinvested more than $2.35 million into community initiatives during that time."At the time of the tender, we couldn't understand what possible case for change there was," the spokesperson said."There has never been even a single complaint registered against us, we have never failed to meet any rental payment to Council or other obligation over all of that time and, of course, many local causes and initiatives had benefited from our extensive funding."The trust said it participated in the EOI process but questioned whether there had been a genuine opportunity to retain the licence.It also claimed it had been told there was a "mood for change" at local board level and questioned whether sufficient consideration had been given to the market's history and community contribution.In a public statement announcing the closure of its operation, the trust said market revenue had supported schools, sporting groups, charities, food banks, security cameras in the town centre and a mobile heated swimming pool programme for schools.The trust said it was concerned about the potential impact the change could have on future community funding."It is unclear how long it will take before the new operator is able to invest in the community, and/or what their plans are, if any, in that regard," the spokesperson said.Auckland Council said the decision was a forward-looking one and not a response to any single issue involving the market's operation."The Māngere-Ōtāhuhu Local Board made a formal decision to seek expressions of interest following the expiry of the previous licence," Marian Webb, Head of Property Management, said.Webb said the previous licence had been operating on a rolling month-to-month basis and that the expiry provided an opportunity to review the future of the site.She said the decision reflected ongoing governance considerations over time and a longer-term direction that had developed over several years and spanned multiple local board terms.Auckland Council said the Twosevenfive Foundation better met the assessment criteria.Council said community benefit formed part of the assessment process, including support for local businesses, affordable opportunities for stallholders, strong Māori and Pasifika connections, and a requirement for profits to be returned to the local community.Webb said the successful applicant was assessed as more fully meeting the published criteria.275 Markets was approached for comment on its plans for the market and concerns raised about the transition, but did not respond before publication.LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.