Traditional street markets provide everyone with the opportunity to buy fresh, local produce at reasonable prices, reeling in shoppers to boost the local economy, and acting as a hub for entertainment and activities in the area.
The UK market scene is a varied one, with some striving to carve out an indispensable role in their towns and cities and improve the quality and range of produce on offer, while others are floundering as they battle falling footfall and sales, mounting rents and competition from the high street.
But could the fresh produce industry be missing a few tricks when it comes to the opportunities opened up by successful street markets? And can market traders benefit the fresh produce sector and help boost consumption?
Street markets are held on the high street or in pedestrianised areas, rather than in covered halls, and in many cases act as a centrepiece for communities and as the lynchpin of the economy in what are known as secondary shopping areas.
A wide range of markets selling fresh produce can be found right across the UK, with the capital a well-established hotspot for street trading and the sites forming vibrant hubs in many towns and cities.
Graham Wilson, chief executive at the National Association of British Market Authorities (NABMA), says the state of UK markets varies, but that investment and forward thinking could see more sites thriving. “London has a longstanding tradition of street markets and, with the majority of markets of differing sizes and notoriety in the capital, it is probably the centre for street markets in the UK,” he says. “Outside the capital, street markets have developed in pedestrianised areas or in high streets that are closed for the purpose.”
There are a number of sterling examples of how street markets can excel with investment and innovation.
George Nicholson, who was chairman of the board of trustees at Borough Market until last year and is secretary of the National Retail Planning Forum, sees Whitecross Street, near the Barbican in central London, as just one model example for markets. The street is enjoying a revival after Islington Borough Council invested in the area to improve the electricity supply and services, as well as host a series of food festivals over the last 18 months.
“The problem with a lot of markets is how they are seen by the local authority, and still there are quite a lot of boroughs where there is no one directly responsible for overseeing and developing the markets,” says Nicholson. “This was not the case on Whitecross Street, where Islington Borough Council was able to strengthen the street market by investing in the area.”
Not too far away in Borough Market, the retail stalls in the area have really thrived in the last 10 years, and are now a tourist attraction in their own right. “Borough was a wreck 10 years ago - it was derelict and going bust,” says Nicholson. “If you can regenerate Borough in 10 years, with commitment, investment and enthusiasm, you can do a good job in turning around any street market.”
But the success stories are not confined to the capital and, further north, street markets are coming into their own.
Bradford hosted an International Market Festival back in 2006, with one mile of market stalls from half a dozen European countries and 30-50 hours of street entertainment over the August bank holiday. Some 715,000 people visited over four days and, since then, the market scene has continued to thrive.
Malcolm Veigas, assistant director for community services at Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council, formerly head of service for markets at Bradford, intends to put more emphasis on the food offer in the next two to three years. “In terms of what Bradford council has done in terms of street markets, the International Market Festival is the best example I can think of,” he says.
“There is a small local produce market at the centre of Bradford, a bigger one in Saltaire that is more of a tourist attraction and a world heritage site, and we held a big fine food festival in Bingley to launch the new £1 million market square in the town centre,” he continues. “Another one will be held in Ilkley this summer.
“The markets in Bradford are doing well in terms of footfall and occupancy,” he adds.
The rise of the farmers’ market is the newest and most high-profile trend to hit the UK market scene in recent years and, with the sudden interest in this back-to-basics way of shopping, traditional street markets could be set to make gains.
“We want to see new producers using these outlets, but we need to make it easier for them to get involved,” says Wilson.
“Farmers’ markets have brought a whole new lot of markets to areas that did not previously have one, and brought new energy and new traders to the London scene,” adds Nicholson. “But there needs to be more integration between farmers’ markets and traditional street markets, and a recognition that they can work together, because it does not make any sense to have separate markets.”
The benefits that street markets can offer the area in which they operate have often been key to building communities and feeding local economies, as well as fending off the formation of so-called clone towns, full of nationwide chains.
“Street markets are one of the best ways for local produce to reach local communities, and they give consumers the opportunity to talk to the people they are buying their food from, to talk about quality and price, as well as where it comes from,” says Wilson. “No other retail dealings do this in the same way.
“The way markets operate helps to reduce food miles and the carbon footprint, because each of them are centred around local economies, and we feel very strongly that markets are an asset to local communities.”
A survey commissioned by the London Development Agency in 2005 to inform the Mayor’s Food Strategy found that customers shopping for food at street markets spend between £3,000 and £15,000 a day in nearby shops, and that local retailers were almost universally supportive of the markets.
That same year, a shopping basket survey by the New Economics Foundation showed that, in Lewisham in south-east London, basics cost £4.74 from the market, compared with £7.18 to buy the same food from a supermarket. This was backed by its report on Queen’s Market a year later, which found that food purchased from the market was 53 per cent cheaper than the same products bought from a nearby Asda.
The face-to-face selling of fruit and vegetables at markets could be key to spreading healthy-eating messages, educating shoppers about seasonality and how to prepare produce, and building longstanding relationships with people of all ages. “Markets feed into mainstream government policy issues, such as healthy eating, and this is one of the main platforms for us,” says Wilson.
“In the current context of concerns about diet and pressure on prices, markets have a clear role to play,” adds Nicholson. “We are in the cross-point at the moment, where people are starting to realise the value of markets in communities, and this could see them revive and grow,”
Bolton is leading by example when it comes to how market operators can use the health link to their own advantage, with the forthcoming launch of its Diagnosis the Market scheme, in conjunction with Primary Care Trusts. “We realised that we had to start hitting these priorities, and we wanted to think big,” says Veigas. “The project will see those who have been told to change their diet or improve their overall health by a doctor or nurse taken around the market by a nutritionist, where they will be able to meet the traders, pick up recipes and ideas.”
The old market streets, particularly those dotted around the capital, have the added benefit of linking locals with the history of their city, and its old traditions.
“London has been through enormous change since it was battered in the war, and it has seen huge amounts of redevelopment,” says Nicholson. “The old market streets have had a measure of protection because of their historic significance, and they are some of the only parts of traditional London that have been left - they are the only places where there is some point to the historic identity of the city, and they form part of the social and economic fabric of London.”
It is difficult to pinpoint the state of the UK market scene today, as some markets are performing much better than others, some are managed better than others, and some have enjoyed more recent investment.
“If you look at markets across the UK, the general picture is that they are in steady decline, but this is a simplistic approach and it is really a very mixed picture,” says Wilson. “There are some outstanding markets in the UK, with a fantastic food offer, selling to a cross-section of consumers. Borough Market in London is a brilliant example, and I was there only a few weeks ago, but there are excellent markets all over the UK, for example in Bristol, Darlington, Halifax and Birmingham.
“If you are going to be successful, there are a number factors you have to be aware of,” he explains. “First, it is essential to develop a meaningful relationship with high-street retailers and recognise that the two can work together. Second, promotion and advertising is crucial to let people know when the market will be held and where it is, and clear signage will help them find their way on the day. The standard of the products is one of the most important considerations, because shoppers want to buy good food, and they want to be able to trust what they are buying and who they are buying it from. This is one of the platforms we want to raise, and we are working hand-in-hand with Trading Standards to make this happen.
“We are encouraging our members to lift the profile and quality of the produce they sell, in order to get away from the misconception that street markets are a place for knock-off goods, or that you cannot trust what you buy. We want consumers to have confidence in street markets.”
Those involved in the sector are working hard to get market operators and traders to make the most of their businesses. “Part of our approach in the last year or two has been to get operators to be more proactive to meet consumer demands,” Wilson says. “They need to be more flexible and open when consumers want to shop, to tap into the night economy - from 5pm to 8pm - and catch commuters on their way home from work, rather than opening early in the morning until early or mid-afternoon.
“Consumers shop at different times of day than they used to, and traders have to stop thinking in the traditional way and be more responsive to changing consumer needs.”
But operators insist that street markets will need more support from local authorities if they are to hold their own and expand in the future. They have put an emphasis on animation strategies, an improved repertoire of goods and better quality, as well as effective publicity in order to make markets work.
“A lot of markets are alien to the day-to-day management functions that you see up and down the country,” says Veigas.
“The majority of markets are run by local authorities and, to date, there has been a distinct lack of investment in many areas,” adds Wilson. “For many years, money was taken out of markets. Now, at last, there has been some recognition that money needs to be spent, but this is a time when money is tight.
“It is essential to invest in markets, because they push buttons on a number of issues,” he adds.
Opinions are divided about whether visits to popular markets overseas, especially on the continent, could improve and inspire their UK counterparts. “There are some wonderful markets in France and Spain, which are absolutely superb in terms of how they fit in their communities and cultures, but trading conditions, customers and even the weather are very different in the UK,” says Wilson. “We can, of course, learn from European markets, and we try to do this by teaming up with the retail section of the World Union of Wholesale Markets, but it is difficult to compare UK markets with their European neighbours - we have to be very cautious about trying to replicate what we have seen in other countries, because it won’t necessarily work in the UK.”
A policy framework is being put together by NABMA, the National Market Traders’ Federation and the Association of Town Centre Management to highlight the best way forward for UK markets, and those involved in street markets are looking forward to having a full strategy in place. The framework, to be released in September next year, was launched by the All Party Parliamentary Group, made up of 200 members from the House of Commons and the House of Lords to bridge the gap between parliament and market organisations. How this pans out in the next 18 months will determine the shape of street markets and how they are operated in years to come. “The national framework will sit in the context of government policies that we can share with market operators,” says Veigas. “At least we will have a consistent approach to market management.”
Those involved in the UK market scene are confident that the history implicit in market streets and the benefits they offer nearby communities will continue to stand them in good stead.
“Markets have been around for thousands of years, and they will continue to be part of the retail offer in the UK,” says Wilson. “Town centres throughout the UK are going through a lot of change, and we have to make sure that markets play a key role in that transition. We can secure investment with a new generation of traders, and by making sure the product offer and quality is right, and that opening hours suit consumer needs.
“But market operators need to come round to the idea of change, for the better.
“Markets are extremely competitive, on quality and on price, topped off with the unique trading situation full of colour and vibrancy,” he adds. “The overall offer is something very different to supermarkets, but better value.”
LONDON CALLING, REPORT SHOWS
The first report on street markets in the capital was put together by Dee Doocey, chair of the Economic Development, Culture, Sport and Tourism Committee, earlier this year.
The survey, released in January, showed that there are around 180 retail markets in London alone - at least 63 more than 10 years ago, and more than twice as many as was previously thought. The markets range from small set-ups to large-scale operations, with some doing much better than others.
“The face of London markets is changing and, while the boom in specialist and farmers’ markets is welcome, action must be taken to protect our traditional street markets too,” Doocey says. “Some of the street markets have been around for centuries - they are the hearts of local communities, and provide economic, social and cultural benefits to London as a whole. It would be a shame to see more of these traditional and accessible hubs lost forever, or completely replaced by a handful of more exclusive and expensive specialist markets.”
The findings were welcomed by market operators, who are keen to keep up the momentum and see the results formulated into a concrete plan for action.
“This is the first time we have had a report on London markets that demonstrates a way forward, but there is a long way to go to finalise the plan,” says Graham Wilson, chief executive of the National Association of British Market Authorities (NABMA). “We agree with the 100 Markets strategy in principle, but now we need to see a timetable for taking the findings forward to stop it being shelved as little more than an interesting piece on London markets. NABMA would like to be a partner in taking this forward.”
The 2012 Olympic Games could provide a useful timescale for improvements, so that street markets can be positioned as part of the appeal of the games. This would, however, mean coming up with a timeframe for action as soon as possible.
NCGM ENJOYS MARKET REVIVAL
New Covent Garden Market (NCGM) has seen a resurgence of street market customers in the last two years, driven by London farmers’ markets and a revival of traditional street markets.
Gary Marshall, chairman of the NCGM tenants’ association and managing director of Bevington Salads, says street traders are becoming more discerning in what they buy as they strive to improve the quality and profile of the produce they sell.
“Consumers are starting to shop at street markets again, as they have a better understanding of what they want to buy, rather than just going for two-for-one offers in supermarkets,” says Marshall. “They want to buy from someone who knows what they are doing and what they are talking about.
“The quality and consistency of the product required by street traders has really improved,” he adds. “The days of traders piling them high and selling them cheap are over - traders are coming to NCGM and buying good product and selling it at the right price, and they know what they are doing.”
The wholesalers at Nine Elms are keen to see London markets continue to flourish, with the right support from local authorities.
“If you ever lost street markets it would be like losing a species of animal,” Marshall says. “You won’t know what it is like to lose them, but the public takes them for granted and does not see that they are wonderful things that really bring communities together.
“The number of street traders coming to NCGM has increased in the last two to three years but, unfortunately, they are still below the levels of 10 years ago.
“NCGM does all it can to support street traders,” he adds. “They have a lot of buying power because they are cash-based and they can pay their bills straight away, and they can pass their expertise and buying abilities onto consumers.”
Four generations of the Marshall family have worked on street markets, with Gary’s 17-year-old son having joined Elsey & Bent at Borough Market last year.
“I never thought my son would go into the trade, but he has been at Borough for a year and he is absolutely loving the game and learning the trade,” says Marshall. “It is good to see some young blood coming into the business and, with street markets seen as being trendy right now, they are attracting more people into the trade.
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