MARKET MATTERS - COLD FEET

How are the January sales for you? Lots of Shoppers seem to be voting with their feet and deserting the High Street in favour of online sales. ‘Why suffer cold and wet feet traipsing in search of bargains when you can stay at home and do it online?’ was the thinking behind another Government-supported attempt to revive our emptying High Streets. First there was the DCLGsponsored ‘Portas review’, then the ‘Town Team’ competition and the private ‘Grimsey Review’ and now it’s the turn of the ‘Distressed Town Centre Property Taskforce’ sponsored by the HM Treasury. You can download it from http://policy.bcsc.org.uk/beyondretail/index.asp It covers the usual big issues – lack of funding, online sales, fragmented land ownership and parking policy etc and outlines interesting initiatives such as the ‘retail business incubators’ in Cold Feet Wolverhampton and Tamworth. 

Also how Rotherham provides revenue and capital support for fledgling businesses. Some Councils like Birkenhead and Rochdale are promoting their High Street Markets as ‘retail differentiators’ and there’s a good argument to be had about why this hasn’t happened before. But like the reviews before it this one offers little else but local policy support for SME’s (‘Small and Medium-sized Enterprises’). There’s a nice picture of Stockport Market Hall and some welcome discussion of ‘provision of mentoring and...social media for independent retailers and small businesses’, but I can’t help thinking the review is still missing the blindingly obvious. SME’s are less deterred by the cost of rent and rates than the administrative burden of paperwork they encounter as they expand. If HM Treasury is serious about encouraging SME’s as ‘the engine room of the economy’ then it needs to take a long-term approach to relaxing Vat rules, tax thresholds, NI and employment legislation which apply to small businesses. Those costs are outside the control of any independent retailer and a very real disincentive to growth. You can always negotiate your rent downwards with a landlord, but just you wait and see what happens when you miss your Vat return. Didn’t David Osborne promise a ‘bonfire of paperwork’ in one of his budget speeches? That’s the way to cure SME’s cold feet. Someone else has definitely got cold feet, MP’s. The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority created to set MP’s pay and expenses in the aftermath of the expenses scandal proposes to increase MP’s salaries by 11% to £74,000 p.a.in 2015, despite objections by all parliamentary leaders. The best bit is that MP’s have no way of stopping the increase unless they change the law they introduced a couple of years ago. Labour has said ‘any rise in MPs' pay must be considered in the light of...the cost-of-living crisis facing people across the country’ and the Prime Minister has threatened to abolish IPSA if it force-feeds MP’s with another eight thousand per annum. He didn’t mention anything about HS2 though. Great stuff. I wonder how many will vote in the abolition debate. And finally, some not-so-cold cold feet: German Scientists have discovered how Penguins manage to keep their feet (and the baby Penguins which sit upon them) nice and cosy during a blizzard. A similar problem is shared by many Traders on Open Markets. Apparently the Penguins bunch together and shuffle around in a sort of Mexican wave whilst squawking about the weather and how few fish there are to eat, or whatever. This keeps the ones in the middle toasty warm whilst they struggle not to get shuffled out to the edge. With cold Teutonic logic the scientists conclude the ‘regulars’ who are skilled at turning up first always secure the best pitches in the middle whilst the ‘casuals’ who can’t be arsed are left with the worst pitches at the edge. This sounds very familiar so I can’t work out why scientists needed to go to Antarctica to confirm it. So leave your moonboots at home and train a pair of Penguins to sit on your feet. Or if the Toby objects, then seize the business opportunity and start manufacturing Penguinlookalike boots. Keep shuffling. Spring is not that far away. 

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Oswestry Indoor Market – Celebrates 50 Years as the Powis Hall

Markets have been a major part of the trading and historical importance of Oswestry and have existed for many centuries. The first known Charter was granted during the reign of Henry II when the Town was known as Whiteminster. In 1262 a Charter was granted by John FitzAlan, Lord of the Manor To our Burgesses of our village of Oswaldestree.

The Powis Hall Indoor Market Hall was originally maintained by the Lord of the Manor, and was the Town Hall or Guildhall until premises adjacent were built in 1782. From this date until 1960 the building was used as a corn exchange, then as a butter and cheese market, and during the Second World War for emergency storage and for auxiliary fire service purposes. On the 11^th September Oswestry Indoor Market celebrated 50 years old at its current location.  The hall was reconstructed in 1963 to its present design and is open every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday throughout the year.  Recently the market undertook an ambitious refurbishment and was awarded Best Local Council Market 2013.  The Mayor, The Earl of Powis and the Chairman of Markets all helped celebrate the occasion with both the traders and customers of the market.  This the newly reopened market back in 1963. 

Teresa Jones who has been in our market for 33 years and was recently awarded a long serving award by the Mayor Chris Scolfield and Chairman of Markets Mrs Cynthia Hawksley

Things are looking good at Tameside

Tameside Markets are going from strength to strength. Ashton’s famous indoor and outdoor markets still cater for all shoppers, offering a wide range of foods – including hosting the North West’s biggest Farmers’ Market on the last Sunday of every month. Other popular items include clothing, hardware, groceries and many household items both indoor and out.

Moving with the times this proud Victorian Market Hall has recently established a communal seating area where shoppers can stop, rest, eat, drink and chat and keep in touch via the new wi-fi system that has been installed.

A major new project is also due to take place as £4.5m has been committed by Tameside Council to enhance the outdoor historic market square with work forecast to start on site in 2014.

The new Hyde Market now also proudly boasts 48 brand new, covered outdoor stalls with costs starting at just £12 a stall.

If you are interested in becoming a trader at either Ashton-under-Lyne or Hyde Markets please contact: 
0161 342 3268.

Nabma, the Voice of Local Authority Markets

Markets have been around for hundreds of years and it is right to acknowledge that the markets that existed in the middle ages are very different to many of the markets that exist today. Today we have some wonderful examples of modern market halls, markets situated in shopping malls and iconic market buildings. Against this background markets need to be considered in a different context. We are all aware of the classic definition of a market as being a concourse of buyers and sellers and this still applies to many hundreds of markets operating today, but many markets now operate with complex landlord and tenant arrangements with tenants enjoying legal protection. This raises the question of whether such arrangements actually fall with the classic definition of a market.

Some years ago we saw the Valuation Office embark upon a series of revaluations of market halls because they were satisfied that the shops/units in many market halls gave rise to a separate valuation status. A significant part of the argument used by the Valuation Office turned on the letting arrangements used by market operators and the degree of security given to traders. Thankfully the Valuation Office seems to have completed its list of target markets, but the aftermath of these revaluations are still being felt by some Nabma members.

On a different issue there has always been a general understanding that when a market hall is in receipt of a planning approval there is no need for a separate planning approval to be obtained when a shop/unit changes one use to another. However it seems the attitude of some planners on this issue is now changing and markets are coming under pressure to ensure that separate applications are made where, for example, the change is from general retail to hot food. The argument advanced by planners ancillary to the main retail use it will not give rise to a requirement for a separate planning approval. What is ancillary? Normally up to a ten per cent change will be viewed as ancillary. This means that market managers need to be aware of the impact of any detailed changes to the markets offer and be aware of the potential planning  consequences of such changes. It is important that you are conversant with the planning authority’s planning policies and objectives. Of course there are substantial benefits for both market operators and traders in providing security of tenure and ensuring that shops/units are covered by  proper letting arrangements, but just a word of caution, that market which you have known and referred to as such for many years might not be seen as a market within the classic definition that I mentioned at the beginning of this article.

While we are dealing with how markets are viewed by external agencies can I end by dealing with the position of markets/street traders and rating liability. This issue has arisen, at a meeting of the Association of London Markets, and I promised to follow up with the Valuation Office. It seems that the Valuation Office takes the view that markets, both indoor and outdoor, fall to be rateably assessed because of the powers that are used to establish markets but street trading is not normally viewed as being rateable assessed. There are a few street trading in pitches in London rateably assessed but they are very much an exception to the current approach. The Valuation Office uses the case of Newham LB V Hampsher (Valuation Officer) May 1970 as a basis for taking this view. Here Newham issued street trading licences in respect of Rathbone Street Market and the Lands Tribunal held that the market was not in beneficial occupation. Whatever views one might have on the issues addressed in this case there are no plans to change this approach, which must be a great relief to the many London Boroughs that operate street markets via street trading licences. There are some of the most famous markets in the country operated in London. They promote themselves as markets not as street trading activities. However they are not regarded as markets for rating purposes. Perhaps another reason for again looking at the classic definition of a market?

When is a market not a market? Perhaps thats something we should debate at the Nabma Conference. Are you coming? 22nd-24th September at the Imperial Hotel, Torquay. You will be very welcome.

Graham Wilson OBE 
Chief Executive,
Nabma

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Borough Market opens new city garden.

Borough Market, the UK’s most famous food market has opened the doors on its newest space – Market Hall.
The Market Hall – is a striking glass structure that opens out onto the Green Market and provides a convenient new entrance onto Borough High Street – it offers shoppers a place to sit, eat, relax and chat, while discovering more about the Market and the food it sells. It will be simultaneously a classroom, a kitchen, an orchard, an information hub and a dining hall, contained within a highly distinctive and architecturally innovative public space.

Throughout the year, the Market Hall will be used for growing hops, fruits, flowers, herbs, olives and salad leaves, resulting in a wonderfully fragrant and visually stimulating environment as well as providing a highly engaging focus for educational programmes. The hall’s structure has been designed to maximise its horticultural potential, with huge amounts of light flooding in through the glass, vertical planters running up the pillars, and benches constructed with planting spaces at either end, all of which has been supported, in part, with funding from Natural England. As part of the Market’s commitment to sustainability, the plants will be watered using a rainwater irrigation system and the resulting produce will be used for cooking demonstrations, tastings, workshops and, in the case of the hops, potentially even the brewing of a Borough Market beer.

Donald Hyslop, Chair of the Trustees of Borough Market said:

“The opening of Market Hall signifies the next chapter in Borough’s long and rich history.  We have created in essence a city garden - one that will offer visitors with a place to sit, eat, relax and chat, while discovering more about the Market and the food it sells. It is a place of exploration, a place where shoppers can be made aware of seasonal produce and special events”.

Market Hall is now open for all to enjoy during trading hours Monday-Saturday.
All images in this article are courtesy of Paul Brock 
For more information on Borough Market please see their website at www.boroughmarket.org.uk

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The new Moor Market Hall in Sheffield

The new Moor Market Hall in Sheffield is now well on the way to completion for the intended opening date of Monday 18 November 2013. Trader interest has been phenomenal, with 150 applicants received so far for the 95 or so spaces. As a result, the allocation process took longer than we expected to ensure we scored each trader accurately against the set criteria and we got the balance of trade right to ensure trader success and ongoing public interest. The most challenging units to let were the cafes, where we received almost 30 applications for the 12 available spaces, but we now believe we have a mouth-watering selection of food outlets to sample, from good old top quality fish and chips to Afro-Caribbean, English, Italian, Mexican and Asian. The non-food side was also massively oversubscribed, but again, by taking account of trade balance, we believe we have provided an attractive offer for both traders and customers alike.The one area where we still need traders is for the food side of the market and as a result we would love to hear from traders who sell specialist and local produce and in order to help potentially new as well as established traders, we are offering financial assistance with fit out and rental incentives during the first year of trading.

We would especially love to hear from you if you sell cupcakes, celebration cakes and pastries, diabetic foods, Halal meat and foodstuffs, specialist cheeses and yogurts, handmade chocolates and confectionery, specialist sausages and meat products, smoked meats and hams, jams, pickles and preserves, speciality pies and pastries and other ethnic foods. The building itself is looking great and puts right all the issues we have had with the current Castle Market, the main one being that is all on one easily accessible floor with entrances serving public transport, the 650 space adjoining multi-storey car park and the main one for pedestrian traffic straight off the newly refurbished Moor precinct. Plans are now well advanced for the official opening, which will be over the weekend of the 22 November. We are also particularly interested in hearing from chefs, both professional and amateur, who fancy showing off their culinary skills on our demonstration kitchen, the only proviso being that the main ingredients are sourced from the market.

 

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