New Covent Garden's annual dinner dance took place at the Copthorne Effingham Park last Saturday and tenants' association chairman Philip Emanuel took the opportunity to update the 225 guests on the latest developments in the restructure of London's markets.
He said that the Corporation view that New Spitalfields should be the one composite market in London 'does not suit the needs or requirements of you, our tenants, so we as an association rejected their proposals to us.
'Defra has issued its statement on the position and New Covent Garden favours very strongly this announcement. We must be allowed to form a composite market, indeed we can go on our own if we want, for he has granted us permission subject to certain legislation and possible objections from other markets, to sell meat and fish on a face-to-face basis on our site.
'He [the minister] has also stated that the authority would be allowed to sell the market privately or otherwise but any sale must include the continuing presence of a wholesale market. This is fantastic news for all the tenants and we can look forward to having a very strong and continued future for us all.' Emanuel thanked Leif Mills and Dr Mike Liggins of the market authority. '..they have been very aware of our need at the same time as keeping in mind their own requirements and for this I thank them both,' he said.
The dinner raised over £7,000 on the night and further donations should see the coffers swell to around £10,000. The charities that will benefit are the Anthony Nolan Bone Marrow Trust and Trinity Hospice in Clapham, south London. The star prize on the night was a holiday to Kenya donated by Mr and Mrs Dicky Evans, while Eddie and Pamela Hulse generously gave the holiday they won at last year's dinner back to the market fund.