To receive an update from R. Lindon and Shade Abdul on the East Street Market renovation project.
Minutes:
The commission then heard from Lindon on the East Street Market renovation project
· Team formed of local communities, traders and shop owners in September 2023; funding received from ‘Thriving High Street funds’ through the council
· Part of team consists of members of the local residents mainly Black and African communities from various occupations such as urban architects, planners and Chief officers working with young people- anti-knife gangs and young entrepreneurs
· Working and engaging with traders in regular meetings; market traders and shop owners to work together and pooling their resources
· Capacity building workshops and skill building for traders and shop owners to self-manage and have equity in this initiative; public meetings with community and traders to discuss progress
· Mystery shopping exercise including professional researchers to asses trading processes; traders and shop owners accepted the issues brought to light and are working together to take steps to take the market forward
· Survey of footfall in the market with the help of young people including gender and ethnic demographics; 80% of customers Afro-Caribbean customers however only 15 stores to cater to their needs.
· Housing redevelopment has created an influx of new customers who are not keen on visiting the market; meetings with marketing director of Lendlease revealed a need for attracting new customers by having new food offers, having night markets, weekday markets and family friendly markets.
· Local churches have allowed spaces for crèche providing a safe place for kids while residents shop and providing teas and coffees for older residents
· Lack of seating and toilets for elderly residents to be addressed with the help of churches.
· Running an exercise in redesigning the market for benches, pedestrianising the market, permanent stores in place of parasols and gazebos; and introducing Wi-Fi and card machines for payments.
The commission then asked questions on the following themes
· Previously lack of support for the market; findings of mystery shoppers; Borough and Bankside movement from produce to street food causing overcrowding and causing local customers to go elsewhere;
· Negative impacts of zoning market according to products; diversity of offers such as meat vans are not there anymore; plans to develop market; taxing process from council; need for standards agency working with traders; way –finding from other streets and updating frontages of shops
Lindon informed the commission that current funding from Thriving High Streets Fund amounts to £12,800, however just under £4800 has been received for this initial stage which is quite less than needed. This initial work is being undertaken to assess where the market is and where it needs to be in the future. Mystery shopper found cleanliness issues, issue with displaying licenses for returns, not all food vendors are displaying health hygiene ratings. With the help of our urban designers and planners, zoning the market is being considered, keeping in mind customer journey through the market. Pricing and negotiations by customers and traders is also being looked at; traders are going for cheaper products for higher prices to increase profits.
Lindon explained to the commission that the zoning of the market is a pilot scheme based on trial and error methods in having products and produce along a customer’s journey through the market. There is on-going work with Chartered accountants in educating and training traders with taxation processes to cover themselves legally. There are on-going plans for the market charter with regards to standards and rules which would be accompanied by rewards.
Recent efforts by the team, has led to 100 of the 120 traders engaging in meetings; bringing them together with the constitution of the body and working to the progress the market in the right direction. There is need for council funding and it is understood that funds are limited, however council resources in kind would help in developing the East Street market renovation project. The issue with standards is due to barter practice by customers which leads to traders buying cheaper products. Further work needs to be done in educating customers on pricing and quality of products. There are options to liven up the market by having music, events and activities; another option would be to have partner system where traders pool their money together to buy products in wholesale.
The commission also noted that traders at East Street are still struggling with higher rents, there has been some progress in council support through the High Street Funds however more needs to be done. Increase in footfall at the market is yet to be assessed.