General Discussion
Following the success of Sundays' Christmas Market, what of the chances of there being a weekly street market along a traffic-free Strand? Mary Portas has said that these are the future of Britain's town centres, and I wholeheartedly agree with her about this. The town was vibrant on Sunday last, why not every week?
I agree Nelson that it would be great and in fact a friend of mind said exactly the same thing to me only the other day.
There was a market held weekly at the Warren this summer (in the field where the Tuesday car-boot used to be held).
Dunno how successful it was but if there is one being held there (albeit only during the summer) would there be enough consumer demand for another one being held on The Strand?
Many start up markets only last a short time because traders don't make enough money for it to be worthwhile. Less stalls means the public don't go so less traders turn up......................... Successful markets have strict rules including starting times, finishing times and restrictions on what each trader can sell, and these have to enforced.
The recent Xmas market was obviously planned for some time and to be able to repeat this on a regular basis is not as easy at it seems.
A good starting point would be to ask last weeks traders if they would commit to being there on a regular basis, I think weekly might be too ambitious for starters, if a market is successful then it can become more frequent.
The only sensible way to approach this is to employ the services of people who have the experience of promoting a weekly market, finding traders and working out affordable fees.
Please no 'market commitee' it has to be a properly funded commercial venture, run by someone who knows what they are doing.
Interesting as this is exactly what has happened in Shropshire, new markets to reviatlise the towns
http://www.shropshire.gov.uk/economicdevelopment.nsf/open/3A2E2D68D7D4DE898025778C0047172B
Once a month or even four a year would be a great start. The town was very busy, which considering the lack of publicity was brilliant. Not only were the stalls doing a brisk trade , but all the shops were busy and the cafes rammed. A great day for dawlish , lets hope there are many more to come.
And who organised for a meat lorry to be auctioning meat, when Lloyd Maunders was open!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The new directors of Dawlish Carnival Entertaiment Committee, surprise ,surprise
The thing with street markets though is that isn't it often the case that they sell things that are also sold in the shops lining the pavements of the streets where the markets are held?
Or should it be the case that market stalls should only be allowed if the stall holders sell goods that the local shops don't?
I'm not saying one way or t'other. Just raising the question that's all.
Well I think its not on, the Xmas Market was formed to help the local traders and this is the first time there has been a meat wagon auctioning meat like at Haldon Market. Lloyd Maunders are struggling now and quite rightly fuming
I did think the meat auctioning was a bit off and didn't really fit in with the idea of the street market. Did Lloyd Maunders organise it?
No they were absolutely fuming about it, all down to the Dawlish Carnival Entertainment Community ltd company
So....is the objection only to the meat lorry (because of the competition it gave Maunders) or is there a general view that stalls should not compete with shops or stalls with stalls?
I ask as I seem to remember there were quite a few stalls selling cakes and savouries (so competing not only with each other and but also with any of the shops that were open selling the same). And several stalls selling different kinds of sweets. (Was Jen's Sweet Shop or any of the other sweet shops open?).
And then add to that the cafes that were open and which were competing against each other for custom.
Just trying to work out precisely just what the issue is - is it a particular one concerning the meat wagon vs Maunders only, or is it a general one concerning stall holders vs the shops?