A genuine Question to The Town Center Manager
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Posts
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Following on from Alunh’s post. I lived in Mold in the early 80’s for a couple of years. The street market was very well organised. Each of the regulars had a reserved spot on the High Street and the market manger would go around and measure up the sites to make sure nobody was taking up more than their allocated space. On Wednesday the stalls were arranged along both sides of the road and the road was kept open in between. The Saturday market was slightly bigger and the High street was closed off to traffic at both ends. There was also a storage area around the corner in King Street, where the framework for the stall covers were kept. It was a great arrangement. It ensured that the market could be set up quickly.
Looking at the goods on sale at the Monday market; they can all be purchased for less money and at more convenience at one of the many supermarkets and pound shops in the town. These alternatives barely existed when the market was spread across the Beast Market and later on Eagles Meadow car park in years past. The market doesn’t offer anything different to what is here six days a week. It certainly doesn’t include anything locally produced. So why bother going?
[quote quote=175970]Looking at the goods on sale at the Monday market; they can all be purchased for less money and at more convenience at one of the many supermarkets and pound shops in the town. These alternatives barely existed when the market was spread across the Beast Market and later on Eagles Meadow car park in years past. The market doesn’t offer anything different to what is here six days a week. It certainly doesn’t include anything locally produced. So why bother going?[/quote]
You’ve hit the nail on the head there. This was probably also the case going back 10-15 years so there’s no reputation as a decent market worth visiting.
Yet we know there’s several local traders who sell more bespoke and custom wares when you go to the Victorian Christmas market. We can get traders in for 1 day but not the rest of the year.
[quote quote=175972]
Looking at the goods on sale at the Monday market; they can all be purchased for less money and at more convenience at one of the many supermarkets and pound shops in the town. These alternatives barely existed when the market was spread across the Beast Market and later on Eagles Meadow car park in years past. The market doesn’t offer anything different to what is here six days a week. It certainly doesn’t include anything locally produced. So why bother going?
You’ve hit the nail on the head there. This was probably also the case going back 10-15 years so there’s no reputation as a decent market worth visiting.
Yet we know there’s several local traders who sell more bespoke and custom wares when you go to the Victorian Christmas market. We can get traders in for 1 day but not the rest of the year.[/quote]
I agree with everything you say here with regards to what the Wrexham market is now, but I still think that the current Mold market traders would go down a storm if they were in Wrexham say down Hope Street and round to Queens Square, and as Benjamin said he failed to find 3 items in Wrexham of which he found in Mold, is it the rent or whatever they pay in Mold that is more favourable.
The parking and car situation is definitely a factor as cars stop on the high street just above the market have 30 minutes free parking, buy a couple of bits drive off and another car takes its place and this goes on all day long and not just on market days.
Also IMO the Mold market traders still sell wares that are good old fashioned value for money as markets used to be, that’s why people go to markets, where a lot of wares on some markets and I include Xmas markets are actually dearer that the shops, but as I say that is my opinion and experience.
As I remember, it was always the case that some goods you could buy on the Eagles Meadow Market could also be purchased in the indoor market for a few pence dearer.
Someone mentioned the Chirk car boot sale earlier. Many market traders go to Chirk & Bryn y Grog car boot sales. They go where there is the heaviest footfall which I am afraid is not Queens Square.
Mold has Tesco, Iceland & Farmfoods. I can’t think of other big stores. Wrexham on the other hand must be the supermarket capital of the UK.MP1953 Mold Market is run by Flintshire Council,the stall charges in Mold are roughly the same as Wrexham around £18.50 for a 15 foot stall frontage. Traders will not trade at venues with a low footfall. It takes quite a few years to become established and unfortunately Wrexham does not have the footfall to support the markets.
[quote quote=175973]Yet we know there’s several local traders who sell more bespoke and custom wares when you go to the Victorian Christmas market. We can get traders in for 1 day but not the rest of the year.[/quote]Good points made,but the old cynic that I am thinks that by sticking a bit of tinsel on something and then charging double,is not quite in the festive spirit.
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