The BBC’s documentary about New Spitalfields Market has received mixed reviews from tenants, some of whom have claimed it made their market seem like it was failing.
Inside Spitalfields Market, the third part of the BBC’s The London Markets series, documents the wholesalers and traders over a 24-hour period. “They didn’t show enough of a positive view - if that is the technique of the BBC it isn’t fair,” said Ronny Liu, managing director of Sunnyfield Veg. “The BBC told us they would promote our market positively but the scene music of one wholesaler sounded like it belonged in The Godfather films and he came across as a shady figure.”
Liu was referring to footage of Special Fruit MD Ali Matur, who featured prominently in the show as he showcased his fresh produce business. Matur, who arrived in the UK 15 years ago speaking no English and with £45 to his name, now helps Special Fruit turn over £250,00 a week.
Liu added: “Now the public think our market has a gangster image, like an underworld. They could have focused on our success stories in exports and exotics but they were a footnote.”
But Matur himself said: “How can you expect the BBC to show every story in one hour? It is impossible. While I agree the programme could have been more optimistic and focused more on the trade action and turnover successes of the market, the overall portrayal, particularly of the racial tensions, was realistic.”
Peter Durber, director of Tropifresh, has been associated with New Spitalfields for over 20 years and fears the market could now lose business following the documentary.
“They did not focus nearly enough on the business angle and took the union angle and then micro-managed it to fit their own agenda.”
Some £750 million changes hands at New Spitalfields market every year and Durber would have liked the programme to focus more on business. “People who don’t know the market would have left with the feeling that it is dying and that is not the case. We are one of the only markets in the country where all space is full; the exotics trade in particular is doing brilliantly.”
Jan Hutchinson, CEO of the Tenants’ Association, confirmed the documentary had prompted the management board to have a meeting on the issues raised but was unable to comment before FPJ went to press.
