Community Friendly Hairdresser at Cambridge Market

Local resident and hairdresser Jo Harding started trading at Cambridge Market back in May this year, and with it, brought a new and unique idea with her. The business, ‘Echo Cuts’, sees Jo save all the trimmings of hair she cuts, which is then bagged up and given to people to use, free of charge, as compost. Although the idea is new to the market scene, the actual concept has been around a long time, Jo’s grandparents using it for years when planting his slow growing plants. The uniqueness of an outside hairdressers has not only been a hit with the locals who use the market, but has also caught the attention of a lot of the tourists who visit the city. Having a stall at the market enables Jo to keep her prices down and offer visitors to the market a more convenient and affordable hair cut. Jo told MTN, “A lot of people can find high street salons intimidating, not to mention expensive. When I first got into hairdressing getting your haircut was always seen as a necessity, however nowadays it’s seen more as a luxury. With being able to offer lower prices I hope I can turn this back around to how it use to be so that people can afford it more often, and if your hair is good you feel good. Also my customers see that their cut offs are being put to good use by helping the environment. Having worked at salons previously I’ve seen just how much wastage there can be, but it doesn’t have to be like that.” A lot of people use the compost on their allotments and gardens, then call Jo when they want some more and then pick it up or she can deliver it by bicycle. She if often seen biking to and from appointments and the market, which is another of many ways that Jo helps the environment and is currently having a new bike trailer made with advertising space on it available for small businesses. She is also in the process of looking for a spinner, which means she can knit it together and give people the choice of having it either knitted or as it comes. Alongside keeping her business green and helping the environment Jo also does a fantastic job in supporting and raising the profile of local charities. Every haircut that Jo makes sees £1.00 go to a local charity and she dedicates roughly three months worth of money to an individual charity. Between May to August she helped the charity Childrens A + E at Addenbrookes (started by Junior Sister Byrne) and her donation helped buy new books for the patients. She is currently supporting the Arthur Rank Adult Hospice (September to December) and is looking at which local charity she will be supporting in January. All volunteers who work at the charities also get Community Friendly Hairdresser at Cambridge Market offered a free haircut. In summing up Jo told MTN, “The reason I do it is to try and raise the profile of our local charities, as well as donating to them. It is important that we give back to our local communities. People are quick to moan about the economy, yet they still order the majority of things online. They would genuinely be surprised if they came down and supported the local market at just how great it is, thus giving something back locally. The atmosphere at the market is fantastic, especially between us traders. Considering we are all independent businesses the teamwork is second to none, always helping each other out. Its almost like we are one big family, I love it there.” What does the future hold for Jo and Echo Cuts, Well, “One day I really hope I can expand the business and idea so it can be used at markets across the UK. Too help benefit local charities up and down the UK and of course the environment nationwide would be fantastic.”
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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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Christmas market was a cracker!

FOLLOWING the fantastic success of Ashton Christmas Market, plans are afoot to hold an even bigger and better event next year.

Thousands of people visited the spectacular two-week event, which was a first for Tameside. Shoppers enjoyed daily live entertainment on the stage and free children’s rides as well as a bar and 30 traditional cabin stalls offering a wide variety of gifts, food and festive fare.
Now Tameside Council is seeking feedback from visitors and traders to help build on this success for next year.
Executive Deputy Leader Cllr John Taylor, who is responsible for markets, said: “We’ve received lots of wonderful feedback from visitors who have enjoyed the market and the lovely, festive atmosphere as well as from businesses who have seen an increase in trade. I would like to thank everyone for showing their support and shopping local.
“We would really like to hear from more people about what they think worked well and any suggestions to help us build on this success for the future.  We want this to be an annual event for Tameside and will be reviewing all the feedback before making plans for next time.”
Ashton Market Hall saw an increase in trade during the Christmas Market, with over 3,000 more visitors through the doors during the first week than the same period last year. Other town centre businesses have also responded positively to the event.
Sharon Radcliffe of Maisies Daisies said: “I think the Christmas markets have been a wonderful idea – really well organised and enjoyed by all. We’ve had many new customers into the indoor market also.”
Janet Louth of Baileys said: “Business has been better this Christmas – the Metrolink has definitely helped but the Christmas Market has had a big part to play.”
Della Yates of B & M Bargains said: “We’ve had a great increase in footfall from 5pm compared to last year. A great event!.”

People can give their views on Ashton Christmas Market via this link https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/ashtonxmasmarket

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