36 replies to this topic

[catbazza]

Wharfedale, on 12 September 2010 - 04:37 PM, said:

Didn’t see any of the local shops so hopefully they will start to come along in the future.

Do you think that it's the name 'Farmers Market!' that may be a little ofputting for the local shop owners, maybe they think I am not a farmer nor a market trader.

[Wharfedale]

It could just be that they don’t know about it, or didn’t know about it with sufficient notice to be able to attend. I do think that our local traders should be there if they want to be. I suspect others might flame me for this, but I would like nothing more than to see the whole thing spread right through the car park and out on to the road like the Christmas market does.

[marygill]

Wharfedale, on 12 September 2010 - 05:27 PM, said:

It could just be that they don’t know about it, or didn’t know about it with sufficient notice to be able to attend. I do think that our local traders should be there if they want to be. I suspect others might flame me for this, but I would like nothing more than to see the whole thing spread right through the car park and out on to the road like the Christmas market does.

At the risk of having my head blown off can I put a different slant on this topic.
Firstly, yes it is called a farmers market which has a lovely rural ring about it, however a lot of the stalls are not farmers but simply traders and were it antiques instead of produce would be termed dealers, there is nothing wrong with this but I do think we get carried away with the farmer thing.
Secondly if we all supported our local greengrocers and butchers on a regular basis, instead of Waitrose etc then they wouldn't need to attend this market.
Thirdly our local traders already open six days a week and pay enormous rates for this, so why should they have to work seven days a week to suit customers who on their own day off decide to go shopping.Give em a break our local butchers and greengrocer are up in the early hours as it is, why not get behind them in their shops before we loose them altogether.
And whilst on this subject can I say a huge thankyou to our local greengrocer who has kept his shop open with the help of his wonderful staff through what has been the most awful time for him and his family.
Thankyou.

[Sebastian-Smythe]

marygill, on 13 September 2010 - 08:14 AM, said:

And whilst on this subject can I say a huge thankyou to our local greengrocer who has kept his shop open with the help of his wonderful staff through what has been the most awful time for him and his family.
Thankyou.

Well said, Marygill, well said.

If it is to be wholesome produce to be sold then that is what it should be.

Not what the church cat did in the cr!!!!

[Flas# #arry]

Well said Mary, I couldn't have put it better. I'd add that the prices didn't reflect the low overheads that this pitch should offer. In terms of balance, I'd say half the produce was gourmet type grub and not competition to locals shops. In terms of a service to local consumers, you would be hard pushed to scrape a meal together for a family at a reasonable cost using produce from this market.

[weirdmusic]

As a matter of interest - how much of what was on offer was locally grown, reared etc.

How local is local? Within 10 miles of the FM, 30 miles, 100 miles?

[Flas# #arry]

weirdmusic, on 14 September 2010 - 05:10 PM, said:

As a matter of interest - how much of what was on offer was locally grown, reared etc.

How local is local? Within 10 miles of the FM, 30 miles, 100 miles?

There was an outfit from Swillington -10 miles and another from Burley -0.

[blunt pencil]

What a load of rubbish.

1. Farmers market/ traders market/ car boot - Its brought trade to the local pub. Its something local people can go to/ or not go to - its up to them

2. If our local retailers work six days - good for them. Its their choice. But if i or anyone chooses to shop on their day off, thats their hard luck.

3. I would not wish what has happened to the greengrocers partner to anyone. But its totally irrelevant to this thread. I buy stuff because of quality, value and choice. Not because someone has had bad luck. Sorry, not trying to offend, just pointing out a fact.

4. Do we support our local chemist (non-local produce). What about our local spicy ranch or chinese ?

[marygill]

blunt pencil, on 15 September 2010 - 08:24 PM, said:

What a load of rubbish.

1. Farmers market/ traders market/ car boot - Its brought trade to the local pub. Its something local people can go to/ or not go to - its up to them

2. If our local retailers work six days - good for them. Its their choice. But if i or anyone chooses to shop on their day off, thats their hard luck.

3. I would not wish what has happened to the greengrocers partner to anyone. But its totally irrelevant to this thread. I buy stuff because of quality, value and choice. Not because someone has had bad luck. Sorry, not trying to offend, just pointing out a fact.

4. Do we support our local chemist (non-local produce). What about our local spicy ranch or chinese ?

To be honest bluntpencil I dont think you understand my point at all.

I was simply replying to Wharfedales post about our local traders not being represented at the market, I wasn't saying anything about people choosing or not choosing to go to said market, I go myself
My point was that if local traders are open six days a week selling good produce some of which is from local people, then we should support them as well.
Also that they probably feel like a day off on Sundays, rather than getting up early again and attending this market.
Just as a point of interest I do not support my local greengrocer out of pity because of his recent troubles, I go because he sells decent stuff at reasonable prices & it's a local concern.

The point I was trying to make was that sometimes because markets are held on a Sunday & it is a day off for most of us, we go and often spend more on produce etc that we can buy cheaper and of equal quality in our own shops.

[catbazza]

marygill, on 16 September 2010 - 08:41 AM, said:

To be honest bluntpencil I dont think you understand my point at all.

I was simply replying to Wharfedales post about our local traders not being represented at the market, I wasn't saying anything about people choosing or not choosing to go to said market, I go myself
My point was that if local traders are open six days a week selling good produce some of which is from local people, then we should support them as well.
Also that they probably feel like a day off on Sundays, rather than getting up early again and attending this market.
Just as a point of interest I do not support my local greengrocer out of pity because of his recent troubles, I go because he sells decent stuff at reasonable prices & it's a local concern.

The point I was trying to make was that sometimes because markets are held on a Sunday & it is a day off for most of us, we go and often spend more on produce etc that we can buy cheaper and of equal quality in our own shops.

I completely agree with you marygill, & spare a thought for the church/chapel goers, they may be traders or shopkeepers who believe in "6 days shalt thy labour & on the seventh" & so on you get my drift, everybody likes a day off & most have two days off per week.

[blunt pencil]

Thanks for clarifying things. In fact i am relieved, as i would not particularly want to support my local spicy ranch, as the chemist has had to do that on two occasions already.

[Wharfedale]

Its good to see that whilst we may disagree about the FM, we all agree that our local businesses are valuable.

However, I think that some are doing them a disservice and being somewhat patronising.

They are BUSINESSES, not charities, and no one goes into business for an easy life. I am not saying we should act in a way that will harm them, on the contrary; I am suggesting that once a month there is an opportunity for them to make additional income and promote their business. If they see ‘outsiders’ taking 4 hours a month’s business from them then they need to act. That’s just how business works. Competition helps not only the customer, but also the business.

Any ‘outside’ businesses that turn up to the FM will no doubt be in the same position as the local businesses and would probably like nothing more than a Sunday off, but they have grasped this opportunity to expand their business and they are doing whatever it takes to survive and grow. If any business can not stand 4 hours competition once a month then I would imagine that the last thing the owner is bothered about is a Sunday morning lie in. I worked seven days a week for many years at all hours of the day because that was what was required to ensure I provided the expected service to my customers and I will be working today so whats the difference?

What about the guys from the Red Lion who probably don’t get to bed until well after mid night on Saturday, but they are out there setting up and working on Sunday morning because this is an OPPERTUNITY for them to grow their business.

I believe that the FM should be allowed to become another part of what binds the Burley community together, like the Duck Race, Festival, Fireworks, Christmas Market and Christmas lights. Any opportunity to bring people out into the community to meet each other and socialise should be welcomed. It should also be remembered that many local businesses are already benefitting from the FM and others would benefit if they took part.

Take the new cake shop as an example. A new business that could get 4 hours face to face contact with several hundred ‘pre-qualified’, motivated, potentially free spending customers in addition to selling some produce. This contact could drive business into the shop during the week through increased exposure and marketing. When I bought some fresh veg last week the stall holder popped a business card into the bag in an effort to build future business which is now stuck on my fridge door.

I do hope that more businesses from the village take advantage of this opportunity and see it as just that – an opportunity to grow and prosper.

Lets patronise our local producers through our foot fall in exchange for local quality goods rather than being offended on their behalf at what amounts to an opertunity, not a threat.

[Sebastian-Smythe]

How many of you remember the Whole Food Fair in the Clarke Foley Centre in Ilkley a few years ago?

I was their 'backroom boy' doing research into Ilkley's past as a a market town. Certain Parish Councillors tried to close us but we brought custom to the town. The first day it snowed, it blew, it did everything to put shoppers off, but we had seven hundred through the doors. Two and a half years later we had nearly two and half thousand through the door. I suspect some of the traders who came may have come to your Farmers Market the Swillington crew for instance. We also had very local traders in the halls. It's a case of swings and roundabouts where local traders are concerned however they could if they wished join the market. Just give them the chance to say yes or no but still support them anyway.

[jlhh]

I have been watching this post with interest as I am a local trader. The thing with farmers markets is there are strict guidelines regarding what can be sold at them. As far as I'm aware this market is being run as a true FM which means the following. You have to rear grow or make/produce products to sell. Sellers have to come from a certain maximum distance away (I think it was 50-75 miles away tops). Can't quite remember the other rules. I could not take most of items I sell in my shop because I don't produce/grow/rear them. I am however thinking of opening up when the market is on as I'm not that far from the Red Lion.
As regards to some of the other shops not partisipating some of us only have one day off a week. Very few of the shop owners probably have two days off a week and working an extra day a month can be a very hard decision to make (it not something you would want to employ someone to cover) if it means you work 2 weeks on the trot, so please don't be mad or offended if they choose not to open.

[Lucerosie]

jlhh, on 19 September 2010 - 04:03 PM, said:

I have been watching this post with interest as I am a local trader. The thing with farmers markets is there are strict guidelines regarding what can be sold at them. As far as I'm aware this market is being run as a true FM which means the following. You have to rear grow or make/produce products to sell. Sellers have to come from a certain maximum distance away (I think it was 50-75 miles away tops). Can't quite remember the other rules. I could not take most of items I sell in my shop because I don't produce/grow/rear them. I am however thinking of opening up when the market is on as I'm not that far from the Red Lion.
As regards to some of the other shops not partisipating some of us only have one day off a week. Very few of the shop owners probably have two days off a week and working an extra day a month can be a very hard decision to make (it not something you would want to employ someone to cover) if it means you work 2 weeks on the trot, so please don't be mad or offended if they choose not to open.

All very fair points and thanks for explaining the rules.

Welcome to the forum!

[Sebastian-Smythe]

Lucerosie, on 19 September 2010 - 05:08 PM, said:

All very fair points and thanks for explaining the rules.

Welcome to the forum!

Likewise from me.

Here's the rules for those interested - http://www.farmersma...tification2.htm

[weirdmusic]

Malcolm, on 08 September 2010 - 02:39 PM, said:

.................
Sunday  5th December

All the markets are to be held in the car park of The Red Lion, between 10am and 2pm.
Further information can be had from Geoff on 01943 863130

This Sunday's market has been cancelled due to the weather.