Western International hosted the annual visit of the Master of the Worshipful Company of Fruiterers last week.
This year’s master, Peter Bartlett, was joined by several other liverymen on the tour of the west-London market and was told that relocation plans are almost complete. Tenants’ Association (WIMTA) chairman George Bray said the planning process is all but done, with just a final nod from the London mayor’s office pending before construction work can begin on the 19-acre site.
He added that the new development, although significantly smaller than the existing adjacent market site, will prove more efficient. “It will be a better use of land, we have spent a lot of time getting this right,” he said.
Although the last few weeks have been relatively quiet, Bray said: “There are always tenants that will tell you that the trade is not good, but there are 86 companies here and the market turnover is £400 million a year. The wholesale trade is not dead.”
Bartlett voiced his delight that the market appeared in such rude health and selected two companies for having the joint best shows of the day. He presented Ashok Chowdry of Fruity Fresh with a magnum of champagne while the other recipient was Arif Mahmood of A1 Veg.