MARKET FORCES
By Nick Oliver
Traders and residents of Broadway
Market and its six adjoining streets have achieved phenomenal success
in reviving the fortunes of the local economy while providing a
wide variety of high quality produce and products to local residents
at its Saturday street market.
The concept was for a community-run street market to complement
existing shops and businesses and for all concerned to have a say
in the decision-making process and for the market to be managed
by an elected committee.
After a long period of negotiation, Hackney Council gave the go-ahead
for the residents and traders to form a community-run street market
and for BMTRA (Broadway Market Traders and Residents Association)
to recruit stallholders, and have the autonomy to manage its own
affairs within the legal framework of the London Local Authority
Act. The council accepted in principle a proposal for a working
relationship between BMTRA, the Council and the regulatory committee
and passed a resolution that this arrangement would be formalised
by 30 June 2004.
The market, which opened with 23 stalls on 8 May 2003, became a
runaway success and soon grew to its present size of around 100
stalls. Broadway Market on a Saturday was transformed into a vibrant
and colourful shopping experience, with stalls selling fine foods,
and condiments, flowers, hand-made jewellery, shoes, and clothes.
The street also boasts a delicatessen with an excellent selection
of French cheeses a colourful art gallery, an holistic centre, and
a gastro pub that offers quality food and wine at decent prices.
Ten of the stalls are reserved for youngsters starting their own
businesses, which are leased them at a preferential tariff for the
first seven Saturdays. The imagination and design skills that go
into the products offered by Fionana O’Connor (children’s
wear), Vicki Prior (hand-made stationery and greetings cards) and
Cathrine Bysheim (hand-made jewellery) are an example of the success
of this policy which adds to the diversity of the market. Their
three stalls face a boutique owned and run by Chrisiane Victoria
from St Lucia who sources stunning hand-made clothing from Hackney,
Europe, and the Caribbean.
Trading Standards, Food and Hygiene and Health and Safety officers
have passed the market with flying colours. Council departments
responsible for parking and waste disposal have been cooperative,
and market manager Louise Brewood is full of praise for the way
the police have supported the community project. Louise has been
asked to advise other councils from Nottingham to Devon on how they
can emulate the success of Broadway Market. She believes it is the
hands-on approach of BMTRA and its close relationship with traders
and residents, along with the selection of stallholders who provide
only quality produce, that are the foundation for the markets remarkable
success.
So all is well! Not so. As the market’s success has increased
so has the presence of the previously anonymous Council Markets
Department represented by officious Council officers wearing brand
new jackets inscribed Hackney Council Market Manager. They ignore
the Association and its representatives, and harass traders by arguing
over dimensions and the layout of individual stalls. Rules that
disallow anyone under the age of 17 working on a market stall have
been enforced to stop a 14-year-old helping her grandfather, a cabinet
maker, and a 16-year-old being present on her father’s stall
that sells game. An original agreement for a variety of artists
to perform on market day to add to the sense of occasion and fun
was cancelled without discussion or reason.
Apart from being an exercise in negativity, BMTRA believes it is
the policy of the Council to smother its activities and intimidate
traders into dealing only with the Council. But why, given the success
and vitality of the market, and the Council’s cock-ups when
trying to run two previous street markets directly under their control
in Broadway Market. Their commitment to formalise their agreement
with BMTRA by 30 June 2004 has not been met.
Other Council departments and the police have been supportive,
so does some politician or politicians in the ruling body have it
in for BMTRA and have the Markets Department been told to carry
out a policy of intimidation out of resentment and spite to the
detriment of the local community? Lorraine Mcdonald, owner of an
eclectic furniture and ceramics shop, told us ‘Hackney Council
has done everything possible to jeopardise business in the market
and seize control of all aspects of its management against the wishes
of the shopkeepers, stallholders and residents’. |
