Topic ID 146
Does anyone know when the French Market is coming back to town?
Reply ID 761
Not this year I think!!
Reply ID 763
That's a disappointment. No doubt another casualty of Health & Safety.
Reply ID 764
Rather not say!! Certainly one of the issues - but its a little bit more complex and a little bit more political (with a very small 'p').
Reply ID 768
Unfortunately, while understanding what SloppjohnB says, I feel that is sad. We have all read that this is another area where insurance is something you pay for on the understanding that you never claim from it, but,unfortunately some poeple see it as a way of getting something for nothing. But,I digress, to get back to the point Sloop - can u give a slightly bigger hint - is it lack of spine from the resident traders or is it that they don't like it? I can't see McMullen's having a problem as it must make them happy, or is it another publicly funded body who complains that such events take up to much of its resources?
Reply ID 771
Have to make a final decision on this one tonight. There is no doubt that markets - FRench or Farmers - bring lots of people into Hertford. Unfortunately same with any town centre event the town centre traders do not open. Apart from the pubs. Therefore all the money in residents pockets goes into the French market trader's pockets and out of the country. It causes a problem with funding as it appears to be contrary to what we are trying to achieve. If someone could go out there and tell all traders to open because we are bringing all these bodies in to shop then you have my full support. Having tried this one for fun Days and other events (don't ask about Christmas lights!) I know you will end up with a deep sense of frustration as well. I will of course keep you posted.
Reply ID 773
To put the record straight I have nothing against the French or their market but I do think they ought to pay the going rate if they want to trade in Hertford. I am looking at other markets other than the one intending to come here. BTW if anyone is interested they will be in Stortford on May 1, Ware on May 2 and 3. To maximise the benefit to Hertford I would want a market either on a Saturday or other working day. I can work with the Environmental Health issues but the real problem is calling it 'an event' and running it either a) alongside the Saturday charter market or b) on another day and having to find a way round the road closures, stewarding and emergency access. Unfortunately the Mercury gave the impression that Fun Day is saved. Not quite. A bit premature! However, once that little problem is resolved will be talking to EHDC about resolving the above issues. Therefore there is every chance that a French market, or Continental one with wider slection will be coming to Hertford sometime later this year.
Reply ID 780
Sloop there is obviously something I have missed here ie. "the going rate"? I must admit I presumed that all charges were paid up front. I, personally, feel that such diversity is good but, as you say, it must not work against the local trader. Perhaps, I don't know, being a novice in this area,would a French (or continental)market mixed with a local Farmers market work?
Reply ID 782
The rent for a market stall on a Saturday is about £18 - £20. So you might expect a French market to pay about £20 x 25. Then costs such as the hire of generators, market license fees, cleaning fees, not to mention my time has to be added in. However historically the market that we and other East Herts towns have dealt with pay a very (very!) small fraction of that. Hence, does the outlay justify the end result of putting no money back into the local economy because no one is open and often more to the point, see no reason to open even when as on Fun Day you tell them that you hope to drive about 10000 extra bodies into town. I started by asking the market traders their opinion on Farmers Markets, French or any other type of market and they actually encourage it as rather contrary to the above paragraph realise that extra bodies always means extra revenue for everyone. So I would really like to run a French market on a Saturday - actually my plan for the Christmas event to replace Medieval Night - but it raises more than one area of conflict with the charter market. One of them being that when I run an event in the town centre I have to put in road closures and always allow a minimumm of 3.2m in all places for the passage of emergency vehicles. Next time you come into Hertford on a Saturday have a look at Maidenhead Street.
Reply ID 787
Why can't Castle Hall be used? They do run events like last Saturday's RNLI spring Fair indoors which involves stalls, etc. Castle Hall has the advantage of being readily accessible from the town centre and not subject to weather restrictions Also many of the local farmers markets are held indoors in church halls and the like.
Reply ID 788
Off the top of my head can't think of a good reason why not. Apart from the cost of hiring it - over a two day period. Run into about a £1000. Cheaper from a farmers market point of view as the organisers reckon they only need to stay for about 3/4 hours max to sell most produce before supply and demand freezes up. The impression I got from the farmers market people at a meeting hosted by EHDC is that they are not keen on leaving their traditionasl village hall base(s) to come into the market towns to kick start what is a dying economy. They are not keen on being used. As for the French market not too sure where you or even I stand, with cooking and throwing flambee pancakes in the air. On the other hand will check out the situation here. Thanks for the idea.
Reply ID 789
I didn't realise the farmers were so uppity - I thought they wanted to sell their produce? They ought to be prepared to support their market towns in the same way as we would make a special effort to support local farmers by buying their produce at a market. After all, they must use their local towns for all the stuff they can't get in their "village shoppe" - or do they just drive to the nearest Tescos? Just for the record though - I would support any initiative to boost Hertford's shopping profile and look forward to hearing what can be arranged.
Reply ID 790
There is possibly a slight political angle to this in as much as EHDC would not licence Farmers markets owing to the 6 3/4 mile rule. They said that they were running illegally and in competition to traditional charter markets - esp in Stortford where the local Little Hadham organiser got a lot of space in Mercury and lives reasonable close to the Leader of District Council. Same reason given why Ware cannot run a market same day as Hertford. I think that it is now politick to drop the 6 3/4 mile and concentrate on reviving the market town economy - the buzz word these days. As it happens spoke to a organiser of a Continental market this morning with the idea of coming in over Dec 4/5 ie. the Hertford Christmas event. Bring in French, German, Italian, Swiss etc etc producers - so sounds good - http://www.thecontinentalmarket.com is their web page and Hertford is booked in. However have yet to clear road closures (yawn, yawn) with police for Fun Day before I can go any further with this one.
Reply ID 791
Mmmm - that sounds really good with the added bonus of it being well timed for Christmas and the other local shops may wish to join in and open on the Sunday. I went to the French market in Crews Hill a couple of weeks ago and bought a miniscule chunk of dried up (sorry, smoked) beef for two people - £7.50. Next time I will go for the cheese....
Reply ID 792
mmm... i went to the crews hill one and got soaked. The wine they sold me was good though. I think that its the one that usually comes to hertford
Reply ID 793
Sloop, I can see that hosting such events is a much bigger problem than most would imagine and without the support of local government and chambers of commerce not really viable. Where does the Town Council and the Hertford chamber stand? Looking at the limited variety of local shops(finance, food, drink, antiques and hairdressing)I would think with little interst in such an event,and not forgetting EHDC's policy on milking the parking cow,so they can't complain if locals shop elsewhere. Good luck with your endeavour but the strands seem many and as soon as you tie one knot another comes undone!