Markets Revamp
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Posts
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Alun, I thought even you would appreciate the quote from the Godfather of Economics. You may call it conjecture, a truth nonetheless!
@BenjaminM 12456 wrote:
jimbow, of course I am not advocating that only consultants should post on here as valid ideas and suggestions have and are being made on a whole range of topics on this forum.
With regard to this particular thread, the most sensible contribution to my mind, has been made by Adam who states:
“Markets should create footfall not have to rely on it. I people are not making the very short detours from the Main Street then there is a clear problem with what the market is offering”
It is very easy to blame WCBC for all the ills apparently befalling market traders but it is in the market traders hands to provide the product that customers want, the aesthetics of the building to my mind is a fudging irrelevance.With some small exceptions,the markets generally offer low priced, low quality product that customers do not find it lucrative to deviate from established footfall routes to visit.
With regard to the references made in this thread to the Consultants report stating the obvious, it is necessary on occasions to state the obvious as they are all too frequently overlooked, and therefore the foundation of the solution is built on sand.Unless there is a fundamental change in what traders are offering, irrespective of the cosmetic changes envisaged, the demise of the markets in Wrexham is a prospect for the short to mid term rather than having any semblance of a long term future.
Quite true and this is the sort of stuff that does grace the Forum site. The problem that many traders have is that there have been meetings after meetings saying to the Council precisely what, in obvious cases, the Consultants are themselves pointing out. Did you know, for example, that I emailed every Councillor in Wrexham a potted version of what the Government Committee on Markets has produced in its findings?
Your observation about the real value of Consultants cannot be denied. When it comes to the more strategic and subtle questions, Consultants can be invaluable
Benjamin….read my post about Rents. Many potential traders would like to spend money on units in the People’s Market and present to the good people of Wrexham. They will not do so if they can invest somewhere else at a lower price with more footfall.
When I moved FROM the People’s Market to Bank Street, I had to spend an additional £6000+. This meant an OD, etc. I HATE doing this but I am an Entrepreneur (Pain-Gain). You say that the Traders have to do this and they have to do that…..Nope….they move
ITV popped into town today and have done a video on this: Row over the future of Wrexham's historic markets | Wales – ITV News
I’ve been looking to open a stall on the market for a while now, but have been knocked back each time. The reason I have been given is that the market already has that kind of stall and the council need to monitor what is sold there. Whilst I agree with this in ways I find it hard to believe that healthy competition is not encouraged, after all this is a market and not a monopoly.
After this happened several times, I asked what the individual thought the market was missing, to which I was told “they pretty much have everything”. There was nothing encouraging or proactive to come from the conversation except frustration from myself and the increasing obnoxious attitude from the individual I spoke to who really didn’t want to help and reminded me a couple of times she had to go because she finished work early, this was midday and followed 6 calls and several emails over 3 weeks to pin her down with no response.
The only 1 thing she did help me with was that the market was encouraging ppl to sell food, of any kind. Great, but I’m not a foodie tho. I entertained this for a short time and when posing questions as to what the market has on certain days etc I was treated to a series of huffs and puffs on the phone.
Now, I don’t know if I’m missing something here but my understanding is
1) No duplicate stalls are allowed to protect existing stalls owners and therefore no creating a healthy competition which customers want and deserve.
2) I can sell any food I want but obviously have to compete with the supermarkets etc who purchase on mass.Has anyone else had similar experiences/responses?
Apologies this turned into a semi rant, but from my experience there really is no encouragement. Maybe this is the individual I dealt with?
Can anyone from the council market team shed any light?
Watch this space. There are several established stores in Eagles Meadow
trying to buy out their leases. Some will be vying to relocate back into the town centre, others we may lose.Louis….you are spot on with your observations. The Covenant system is an anachronism and should have no part to play in a Market. It survives because the traders and the Council allow it to exist and because both parties are motivated by a very pessimistic view of the way forward. I can understand why a trader would be inclined to seek a safety mechanism because if you make an investment you naturally want to gain a competitive advantage. Ultimately, however, it breeds complacency, non-competitiveness and sadly over protection. Some traders take the idea of a Covenant to the Nth degree.
You may well ask why there are no bric-a-brac stalls in the Market and why the type of Emporium-Flea Market type of operations are missing.
All I would say to the Market authorities and traders is to go and check out Dagfields (near Nantwich) or the Emporium (in Shrewsbury) or the new development in Whitchurch or even Bryn-y-Grog if you want to see a possible way forward.
The People’s Market would be an ideal site for this sort of thing and it is really really popular. You only have to look at, for example, any nostalgia based multi-trader operations to see this.
Hope you have success with your venture Louis
In the current climate restrictive sales covenants could be challenged on legal grounds as everyone has a right to go abut and establish any business (provided it is legal) the prohibition of competition would not be supported by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) previously Competition Commission. The Council are ion very thin ice if this is the case. You could also contact National Market Traders Federation – Home National Market Trade Association. I would suggest that you send a letter requesting what law is giving them permission to create a monopoly trading environment – if they quote a By Law then that is one that they have established themselves which could be rescinded. When the Council give planning permission to Tesco etc do they inform them that they can sell anything provided no other shop within quarter of a mile is already selling a similar product range. Of course they wont so why operate double standards and not allow the public to decide which shop/stalls they shop at
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