General Discussion
Continental Market in Dawlish
The Lawn, Dawlish.
Friday 20th to Sunday 22nd June
9am-5pm
Continental traders from France, Belgium, Italy, Spain, Holland & Poland.
Brittany biscuits, olives, Swedish cider, Italian nougat, cheeses, saucissons, charcuterie, breads, croissants, freshley cooked crepes.
Also, leather items, soaps, lavender and children's toys.
I'm looking forward to having some traditional foreign foods like horseburgers and snail stew. Oh-la-la.
You can't beat these markets, false rank food,it's oh so traditional.Cheap fodder for the gullible masses. I've also had the horseburger and the deer sausages.Slimey snails go down a treatand the Knats piss ale is nectar.Shame we cant have a British Market.How can this be supported by the chamber of commerce , when all the profits go abroad?
Er......I think the idea is to draw people into Dawlish so that they may then also spend some money in the shops.
Or would you prefer that no effort at all was made to help the town centre shops?
Why would this bring people in to the town? Every city and town in the land has had one of these markets.Its 10 years too late.They are now just a travelling band of cheap, tacky food , drink and mementoes.Most stalls arent even run by French or German people. They are usually Polish or Romanian with a few Turks.
As i've already said, get a decent British Farmers market and you will see people drawn to the Town.
Well, let us see shall we?
You may be right you may be wrong.
With regard to the local Farmers' Market, I believe it is hoped that a local produce market may start up in Dawlish come the autumn. Local = 30 miles around Dawlish and local produce as opposed to just farmers' produce so that things such as craftwork, paintings & pottery can be sold as well as food.
Does that meet with your approval?
I can't tell you any more than that at the moment because I simply don't know any more than that.
Why not ask your local councillors if you want more info? I believe someone has posted who they are and how to contact them on another thread.
Also of course, if you or anyone have any (constructive) ideas as to how to attract both tourists and the local population into Dawlish Town Centre why don't you post them?
I think we should chase the pink pound.
We could have a Dawlish Gay Pride festival parading through the town, finishing with a concert on the green. Right Said Fred could be the headliners.
Just think how much trade the eponymous local Pasty shop would get? To celebrate, they could rename their chicken pasties to "cock pasties" and market it using the tagline "Go On, Put It In Your Mouth".
Other local businesses would benefit too. The Brunswick Arms could offer cocktails on their menu - Woo Woo's are a particular favourite of the homosexual community. I've even got the recipe for them (from a friend):
1/2 oz peach schnapps
1/2 oz vodka
1/2 oz cranberry juice
Pour all ingredients into a highball glass over ice cubes, stir, and serve.
How about it, councillors?
Dont ask them! Our mayor only likes his food deep fried and full of calories....just the way plebs do?
What is wrong with you people
U.K traders go to France Holland Germany etc for their Continental Markets.
Last time I went to York they had one it was fantastic.
If nothing is done to enhance the town you all complain, when something is done you complain.
Armchair complainers are the worst I suggest you get off your backsides join the carnival committee get on the Town Council etc., if not shut up whinging
Yes I had heard that there was a previous farmers' market and that it folded. Am told that one reason was that no-one was too sure when it was on, that the farmers weren't that local (Somerset) and that it wasn't publicised that well.
Sooooo, if the local (30miles around Dawlish) produce (more than just food) market does get organised I understand that it will be well publicised and when it will be running will be very clear.
We can but try.
It probably didn't take off as too many people in this town would prefer eating out in Pubs.....consuming large amounts of deep-fried food and guzzling way too much alcohol.
No wonder the size of locals and holidaymakers is ballooning.....have you seen the junk these places serve up? Even the salads are embarrassingly lacking.....more nutrition in the napkins!
People think eating goat's cheese with a diet drink constitutes healthy. The truth is, the majority of British people don't understand food or how to shop for it.
They'd prefer Tesco's and Sainsbury's to a Farmer's Market. We still have local Pubs selling Turkey Dinosaurs and Chicken Nuggets! They don't even give the customer much choice when it comes to Vegetarian food.
It's a waste of time trying to educate people and our Pubs and Supermarkets know this. Profit before welfare.
Yes....all of them! Perhaps we should adopt the same approach as America (especially as we adopted their junk food). In certain States, they have now made it mandatory that all premises selling food, have to show the calorie content of the food they sell, on their menu's.
Your missing the point Olive.
When you go abroad and see these markets, they are selling proper authentic produce.
What we will get is cheap versions of French, german and Dutch food, sold to us by Polish,Latvian and Rumanians dressed as French, Dutch and Germans.
Its like saying all Brits travel around in Black Cabs,Red Double deck buses, wear trilby hats and personally know the queen.
These markets are nothing more than a con nowadays.
As for your comments about the Farmers Markets.They were badly organised,never advertised and infrequent.How were they supposed to draw people in when nobody knew when they were.
I regularly go to the one in Exeter.Its very busy, some stalls have queue's at them due to having regular customers.As somebody else has mentioned , its not just food thats needed. Art and Craft also helps.
I remember visiting the town a few years ago ,and a 5 a side football tournament was taking place on the Lawn.I think it involved alot of the pubs and raised money for charity.I remember large crowds were watching the games and the shops and pubs did a roaring trade .Does this tournament still go on?
All the continental markets I have been to have had German French Dutch etc and dont forget Poland and Romania are in the E.U.
Polish food is very good.
I know a farmer who sells in Exeter and Newton farmers markets. They were making a lose in Dawlish due to the rents being to high and not enough publicity.
The one in Teignmouth went the same way.
If memory serves the Teignmouth market was stifled by the council who took heed of local traders fears that their sales could suffer. First the market was located in pellow Arcade, an out of the way backwater. When the market traders sensibly suggested that the Triangle might be more appropriate there suddenly appeared a lot of formidable legal issues arising from the council, talk of special licences, complicated but necessary delays etc etc. Eventually the traders just gave up.
All very short sighted as there's no doubt that such a market is good for the economic vitality of a town.
Totally agree Bardwell, and far better than spending your money with someone that will then take that money out of our economy.
PLUS EXETER HAS THE MONTHLY CONTINENTAL MARKET THIS WEEKEND, 20-22 JUNE WHICH IS ALLWAYS VERY GOOD AND BIG.
I hear that all the posters advertising the Dawlish Continental Market that had been put up around the town were taken down this morning on the instrcutions of Dawlish Town Council, under presssure from local traders. Does anyone else have information on this?
So some traders lost out, but others gained as the traders have been eating locally in the evenings.
Good. They seem like a nice bunch. Isn't it a shame how some Dawlish traders behave when they are confronted with a little competition. They should raise their game. what happened to the Farmer's market?