Agenda item

East Street Market Workshop. Facilitated by Grace Semakula

Why is East Street Market important for this area?

• The market sells everything that you want
• The market provides value for money
• It is a community market
• East Street is the main market in Southwark which serves the local and the wider area of the borough
• People used to come from everywhere
• It is a way of life
• The market fulfils a social function
• Since the 1880`s East Street has been here [Heritage]
• The market traders support the community
• It is important to the Council, as the shops provide revenue
• East Street Market employs a lot of people

What do you like about East Street?

• It has been my way of life for 60 years
• Provides a good living
• Friendliness, social cohesion.
• Tradition
• It breaks down a lot of barriers
• It is a One Stop Shop

What would you like to see improve?

• Improve communication with the Council
• Would like to work with the community more
• Physical side, to improve the paving, lighting, car parking [ reasonable minimum charge]
• The management
• Would like to know what the regulations are, and how they can be applied fairly
• Funding
• Shops could be improved
• The Private Sector  should not manage East Street Market
• Traders to have an input with the Council, to form a Co-operative to help run the market
• A clear commitment by the Council for the long-term viability of East Street Market. To plan a Strategy
• Licence every single casual trader
• Council needs to answer letters in the given time required
• Everyone should know of the chain of command in East Street Market
• There is a mobile information office in the market
• The daily rates [casual] are too expensive
• Their needs to be a review of the Licence Fee
• Publicity of East Street is needed
• The pedestrian crossing between the junction of Portland Street and East Street.

What activities would you like?

• The Christmas lights to be up and working by the 2^nd week of November
• Have a celebrity as Father Christmas
• The Director of the Property Division to attend East Street meetings

When will all this come together?  What is the Long term Strategy of East Street Market and the Timescales?

East Street Market workshop facilitated by Donald Forde

Why is East Street market important ?

·  part of the history of south London

·  'shoulder deep in memories'

·  full of local characters - sons and daughters and now grandsons and grandaughters

·  sense of belonging

·  brings the community together

·  it could be so much better, we know it has its issues but need to cherish it because if lost its lost for ever.

·  one of the reasons i came to live in the area

·  plenty of opportunity to breathe new life into it

·  the fusion of old tradional south london with new vibrant multi-cultural south london - very unique place

·  traders help each other out and give tips to new commers

How could the market be improved/what can the community do to improve it?

·  marketing and promotion - we can really sell the market

·  heritage lottery funding - appreciate money has gone into it but can make it special case for outside funding

·  Council needs to enforce against the subletting of shops

·  people born and bred in walworth all remember Rosa leather shop that had the best leatherware in south london - need to attract traders who can really pull the punters in.

·  how about an east street loyalty card ?

·  bring together youth and local schools into the mix - eg through youth community council's

·  a special area devoted to special events and niche traders or even local people having a go a being a trader

·  A feature in Southwark life.

·  how about the council helping traders by a pack on how to support to become a trader...would be important to draw on the expertise of other traders

·  stopping parking on nursery row - could kill it.

Activities for the run up to christmas

·  events to coincide with the 12 days of christmas

·  big switch on of the christmas lights

·  more bags please - seen them as far away as tottenham - we love them !

·  keep it simple, christmas grotto, carol singing and father christmas.

·  draw on the community

Group C:

What is good about East Street market:

What would improve the market:

Ø  The market has been affected by the closure of local Council offices; much less money is being spent in the market

Ø  Perhaps there could be a loyalty scheme between traders

Ø  There could be a business pack

Ø  Parking restrictions are killing trade

What would help in the run up to Christmas:

Ø  There could be a free gift wrap stall

Ø  There could be carol singing

Councillor Mohamed asked when a response was coming back to the Community Council, and Donald Forde said that all three workshop groups had suggested activities before Christmas: things could be pulled together before the next meeting of the Community Council.

Simon Hughes suggested that actions could be prioritised: could the Community Council meet with the market traders by the end of November?  Perhaps the Community Council could have another meeting in January dedicated to the long term strategy for the market.

One of the traders said that the suggested Christmas activities needed to be organised now.

John Wallington requested that the Director of Property attend a future meeting. 

ACTION:   Chair to write to Head of Property

AGREED:    (i)  That the feedback from the workshops be communicated to the Executive

      (ii)  That a further item on East Street be on the agenda for the next CC meeting.