CITY'S THRIVING MARKET

[Ultra]

From today's Mercury

Thriving market hailed as success story

Leicester's market is set to be used by the Government as an example to others struggling to succeed in towns and cities across the country.

MPs from the Communities and Local Government Committee left the halls of Westminster to meet traders and tour the city centre site yesterday.

The visit coincided with stallholders collecting the Britain's favourite market award after winning a public vote run by the National Association of British Market Authorities earlier this year.

Due to its success, the market is being studied and in two months time the committee of MPs will report back to Government with recommendations to help keep other markets healthy.

Chairman Dr Phyllis Starkey MP told the Mercury it was clear from her visit that Leicester Market is unique.

She said: "Leicester market is quite special. It is a popular and thriving market that people want to use.

"We have visited markets in London which had many empty stalls, but this one is much busier and healthier. Gaining the award shows it is very well liked by the public.

"The set-up here cannot just be dropped in elsewhere, but it is a very open space, it is bustling and has a wide range of stalls which reflect the diversity of the city. Other markets could learn a lot from this."

Every year, more than 2.5 million people visit the city's market, which is more than 700 years old, and is Europe's largest covered market.

Traders have spoken to the Mercury about the market's success, what MPs could learn and why customers keep coming back.

Jody Moore, 38, of Judith's Underwear and Nightwear, said: "I think it's successful because there's a bit more of a family atmosphere.

"Other markets could be a bit more willing to be more flexible with the customers. The whole idea of the market is to have a chat with the stallholders, get what you're looking for and get a bit of a bargain."

Phil Warrillow, 44, of Warrillow and Sons vegetables, said: "We sell the best in the country. It's all fresh every day and we help customers out. We ask them what they want and do the best we can for them. Other markets could try and be more friendly."

Michelle Smith, 39, of Michelle's Quality Fruit, said: "It's got a lot of variety and it's very cheap compared to any other market.

"I sell the best quality. I have regular customers who come every week because you can't beat good service. People keep coming back.

"If there was one thing I would improve, parking is too expensive and there's nowhere close to the market to park."

Some good coverage on TV yesterday too.

Thanks are due to all involved in making the event a massive success..

[Miquel The Work Geordie]

Leicester has a market, but it will get none of my attention until it performs to this standard...

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And this is serious.

[Zingari]

leicester market was never the same after Paddy Swag died , he'd show Alan Sugar a thing or two about flogging stuff .

[Lillehamring]

fair play to the market for getting it's house in order, but i really do have problems with these endless references to quality - cheap, yes, quality, not so often.

[Thracian]

From today's Mercury

Some good coverage on TV yesterday too.

Thanks are due to all involved in making the event a massive success..

It's well deserved praise as I've mentioned before but not an excuse to be self-satisfied.

There is still much can be done to improve the service offered by Leicester market and to drag people in.

Truth is there are far too many empty stalls on occasions and not enough being done to encourage more. In fact some traders are now being discouraged by the rules, particularly those who need to leave early to fetch their kids from school.

And, although rents are quite competititve in my experience, many complain that they are too high for what they say is declining footfall and the amount of money being spent by people in today's difficult financial climate. Especially considering that situation is not likely to change in the forseeable future.

That's not me canvassing to help myself I hasten to add. My items are relatively high value and even two or three good customers can spend enough to give me a decent day.

But people who sell nothing but low-price items are sometimes struggling to sell in sufficient volume, particularly where there is an abundance of keen competition.

Another problem is that casuals pay more money to stand than regulars when, in fact, there's a case for their paying less until they become established.

With the continual pushing of motor vehicles further and further from the City centre, the lack of available porterage is disappointing and tends to increasingly limit the range of goods available because it often isn't practical for people to buy anything that isn't lightweight.

This, of course, means there's a prevalance of certain carryable goods (fruit/fabrics/clothing/dvd's/computer games) and very few heavier things (clocks/books/garden ornaments/interior design items) available at all.

A price is therefore paid in lack of diversity and with little chance of that changing because. for instance, a dealer in small furniture would probably be skint before he became established, especially as he would be paying the same rent for carrying, say, 30 items, as someone else who's carrying 100's in the same space.

I don't say it is easy to get universal approval for solving the problems mentioned - or that the problems aren't far worse elsewhere - but those stalls certainly need filling.

That said Leicester's really is a fabulous market with a terrific comeraderie among the stallholders and a decent team of staff to compliment them and help things go smoothly.

[Babylon]

I'm thinking of opening a Levi Porter stall, I'll be offering life size 12" effigies of him.

[Thracian]

I'm thinking of opening a Levi Porter stall, I'll be offering life size 12" effigies of him.

Perhaps Max Gradel will buy one as a souvenir when he's passing.

[Corky]

I'm thinking of opening a Levi Porter stall, I'll be offering life size 12" effigies of him.

I couldn't see Levi as a market trader- wouldn't be able to see over the stalls.

[MC Prussian]

I couldn't see Levi as a market trader- wouldn't be able to see over the stalls.

I'll open a crate stand - delivering to Porter's exclusively.

[Thracian]

fair play to the market for getting it's house in order, but i really do have problems with these endless references to quality - cheap, yes, quality, not so often.

The abundance of cheap items to quality items will always be greater because there are a lot more hard-up people than wealthy ones and the latter tend to purchase from places that reflect affluence and who's stores have the advantage of protected or cartel purchasing which, sadly, is abundant in this country.

But it also depends what you call quality. I sold a genuine (though second hand) Rolex at Leicester Market recently and what was a £1,000 part set of early Britains farmyard figures (with friends) - and it was no big deal to be honest.

I should maybe have bought a nice piece of Worcester there yesterday at £250 and a big diamond ring that the same regular stallholder had a few weeks ago too. Oh yes and a 19th century case drinks set that eventually sold on the net for close to £500 or one of two listed artist paintings that later went to a full-time art dealer.

My son's restaurant uses the same fruit wholesaler as several market traders and his fruit salads are something to delight the taste-buds and the electrical guy behind me seems able to find anything a customer wants, quite legitimately I'd hasten to add, and I don't think I've heard a customer complaining about anything they've purchased from him yet.

I don't say there aren't cheap and cheerful stands - and dislike making a virtue out of cheapness especially when people would be far better advised that they'll likely get what they pay for - but a market has to cater for all tastes and pockets I'm pleased to say.

And it does.

But the keenest "hunters" come out early and they do let stallholders know what they are looking for. Communication is important. You need to remember that if someone asks for a 24-inch gold chain or a David Weston painting, the stallholder will hold it for him - it won't necessarily go out on the stand.

As for the junk. There are people who get enormous pleasure sifting though the £1 and 50p items to find something that appeals to them which they can afford. A pound to some of my customers is like £100 to others.

But it's still remarkable what some of them can find for that money.

[Monk]

I've always found Leicester market unusual in the sense that Thrac states - that it has such a range of customers and items on sale. Even markets in London struggle to have that diversity. In a country that is overwhelmed by high street retailers and supermarkets it is nothing short of a miracle that the market does so well.

I was talking to my mate last night about Leicester and we agreed that it's much more a large town than a city. It has many attributes of a town and in many ways I think that's part of the reason the market does so well. The people of Leicester are not city people in the same way people from Birmingham or Manchester are.

[Raj]

Cant beat it for fruit n veg.

[Lillehamring]

...valid points....

well, perhaps i need to spend a bit more time there, cause i rarely pass through and see anything of interest, and believe me, i go to flea markets most weekends, so i'm not a complete snob!!!