Northcross Road Market

[Zak]

What do people think of Southwark Council's attempts to support the market?

All credit for closing off the road on Saturdays, but it's a shame that they have to do it with "road works" signs rather than ones which announce the presence of a street market! It all feels a bit shambolic.

Also, from talking to traders it appears that they're been forced to turn their stalls around to face onto the road, when they'd prefer to remain facing out onto the pavement. If Southwark want to try and create a market thoroughfare, then surely they need to put some more resources into it.

Bring on Mary Portas!

[civilservant]

You'll find there are a load of other threads about this elsewhere on the Forum

I'm all for having stalls facing the road - it eases the congestion on the pavement which has been a serious problem for non-market going road users. That's the whole point of blocking off the road, isn't it, that people can stroll and browse? and I wish that the fish van would turn around to face the road - the pavement there is unspeakable after it's been.

but agree that Southwark needs to put a lot more into it if it wants to turn the market into the hoped-for council revenue generating cash-cow

[puzzled]

"serious problem". goodness me civilservant, you must have a very fraught life. that fish van you don't like has been here for well over 20 years. anyway, it looks like the market is collapsing cos of the economic state we're all in, so you will soon have a nice clear empty and boring pavement to busy yourself on. btew the shops all like having the market cos it brings in customers

[civilservant]

ok - maybe 'serious problem' was a slight exaggeration, although I do find it hard to get down NXRd if I'm in a hurry, say to catch a bus. Maybe I should use another (longer) route.

but the smell and fishy waste water from the fish van IS disgusting, and it is positioned at a particularly awkward bottleneck bit of the pavement. I do too love your argument, which can be summarised as "it's been disgusting there for 20 years, so it should continue to be disgusting for ever".

[DrinkingBuddy]

Is it just me, or shouldn't they have closed the road all the way up to Archdale? That way all the stalls could face the road, there would be space for lots more stalls and it would be an even nicer attraction for ED?

Also agree about the fish stall. Great to have it, but really it is at the worst spot congestion wise. My Fishmonger, if you're reading this, please turn your stall round.

[maxxi]

Could we not persuade more producers/purveyors of food and drink to take stalls instead of the over priced second-hand tat that makes a lot of the market look like a poor man's portobello?

Apart from the fish van - who obviously wishes to take advantage of those going down LL with no intention of venturing into Northx so wants to be as near to the corner as possible - one has to negotiate cruddy furniture and shabby clothes before reaching other food stalls and sometimes it seems too much of a bother.

Put the clothes 'antiques' at the far end and the food etc. nearer LL and I bet more people would use the market.

[StraferJack]

I know what you mean Maxxi, but if I'm honest I kind of like the serendipitous nature of the mix at present. It's not like I'm ever tempted to buy anything but segmenting each category feels a bit corporate and lifeless for such a small market

Perhaps if it was bigger it would benefit from that approach, but for the 70 or so yards there are, it seems fine

[Otta]

looks like the market is collapsing cos of

the economic state we' re all in, so you will

soon have a nice clear empty and boring

pavement to busy yourself on.

Sounds better than the pathetic junk stalls that are there now.

[Sue]

I think it was the Saturday before last, the road was still closed around 7.30pm even though the market had long gone.

Who is supposed to reopen the road?

And I'm assuming the lack of stalls is because it's August, not because of the economic climate.

[Jeremy]

Slightly harsh, Otta. The record stall is quite cool. The hog roast isn't bad, and the pies are apparently decent (although I admit I've never tried one). The butcher van is very good too. But there is an abundance of over-priced cake and vintage/junk gubbins.

[DulwichFox]

The lack of atalls is due to the fact that most people are Browsers or passers-by who not actually buy anything.

The only thing I have ever bought from the market was a 45 single record.

Most of the stuff on sale is over priced Tat. Fine if you want to spend ?10.00 - ?20.00 for an old OXO tin

Most of the food I.E Cheese , Sausage , Deli Unrefridgerated.

People are coming to their sences and no longer buying..

Stall holders need to smarten up or go out of business.

If stall holders cannot be bothered to turn out they should lose their license.

If there is a lack of stalls in the summer, cannot emagine it will pick up as the weather turns colder.

PS.

The only decent trader is the Photographer Neil Williams.. Great Photos..

[Otta]

I was being harsh, and there are a couple of decent things... There are more rubbish things though

[civilservant]

I voted against Sunday opening, but really like the food offerings on the market and would be very sorry to see it close.

My votes go to the Blackbird cake stall and the Frog on the Green cake stall, when they set up at the top of the road -there's loads of demand for them as they always seem to sell out before the end of the day.

Miss Dumpling's dumpling sarnies with cheese get the thumbs up from my daughter - and the hog roast, of course.

And we've bought some decent stuff from the furniture stalls.

agree that you never get much change from a fiver after a walk down there (and why on earth would anyone want to refrigerate cheese or chorizo?)

[Blinkeyblonck]

Hi all

I'm considering seeing if the council will let me have a stall on North Cross Road to sell food. I can see there's a lot of disgruntled people who think the market isn't serving their needs SO I thought, before I do anything, I'd find out what people would like to see being sold. What kind of food would you like to see more of? Is there a cuisine you haven't found there yet that you'd like to try? Would you like homemade ready meals? snacks? cakes? salads? How about sanwiches? and soups? or somethng really different? Tapas? What about alcohol and drinks? I'm not sure about licensing there but perhaps this is an option? Tapas and top quality sherry? or maybe you'd prefer coffee? and tea?

Lordship Lane and North Cross road is an AMAZING hub of foody wonder and t's worth remembering that but there is always room for more so what do you think?? All responses welcome!

Thank you!!

[katie1997]

Actually, I quite like maxxi's idea about the food stalls all being closely grouped together. Especially as all of the stalls are individual and usually local enterprises.

Would like to give a shout to pieintheskyz - zandra who runs it is a breath of fresh air, great to chat with and has lovely home-made, locally sourced produce.

More variety and less of the twee-ness(!) may help the market survive.

[katie1997]

Blinkeyblonck - I think any stall offering pancakes with a variety of fillings would go down well. Especially if it was placed next to the lovely coffee stall too. Quick (and inexpensive) to produce, and they feel like a treat when someone else makes them for you. In fact, I'm tempted to set up my own stall now :)

Best of luck.

[charliebrown]

Dulwich Fox ... to express your opinion on the East Dulwich Forum i am all for, freedom of speech and all that malarky but after reading your comments i just thought i need to enlighten you with a few facts!

You said "Most of the stuff on sale is overpriced tat"

... let's take a look at Lisa E Moss's stall for example, she is a very very successful jewellery designer having learnt her trade at Goldsmiths and has gone on to set up her own Company. She made her fashion debut in 2007. Sienna Miller for Twenty Eight Twelve invited her to produce her unique jewellery to the collection and has done ever since producing 4 seasonal collections every year which are a sell out.

Lisa's client and fan base is one established largely by word of mouth and includes a broad spectrum of talents and personalities, including Anne Hathaway, Jacquetta Wheeler, Sienna and Savannah Miller, Kelly Hoppen, Gin Clarke, Robin Wright Penn, Fru Tholstrup, Linda Davidson, Lesley Sharp, Kate Thornton, Linda Barker and professional skate boarder Brian Sumner among others.

Lisa is a born and bred Liverpudlian and despite her success she continues to trade every Saturday come rain or shine on Northcross market because she loves East Dulwich and loves chatting with the local community.

You said "Most of the food I.E Cheese , Sausage , Deli Unrefridgerated"

I agree with Civil Servant and having the knowledge that Cheese and Salami/Chorizo does not need to be refrigerated. For example my good friends @ Mothers Dumplings stall probe everything every 20 minutes, checking temperatures and keeping the hot food at the correct temperatures. They serve outstanding food, fresh, quality and extremely nutritious. I witness a queue every week, like most food stalls.

You said "People are coming to their sences and no longer buying"

Where is your evidence? I know a good 50% of the market stall holders and yes they will admit that August is a lot quieter, but in general the market is growing and so are the customers. These are peoples livelyhoods that you are referring to, they are trying damned hard to make a living, support them rather than slate them.

I could go on but i won't, I will be outside Rouillier White selling our goodies from Jacks on Saturday and i would gladly chat to you about this, I am not one to hide behind a computer, then we can take a walk down to northcross and introduce you to these hard working market stall holders, who turn out week in week out, rain, shine, snow and sleet giving something back and making East Dulwich the fab unique place it is! You may change your opinion then....

[charliebrown]

Dulwich Fox said:

"Plenty of new busineses opening up in ED. trying to make a quick buck

with no actual commitment. They will inevitably be another empty shop in 6 months"

"It's fine if you like unrefridgerated sausage resembling a condom full of gristle toe-nails and beaks."

There is nothing sold on the stalls in North Cross Road that I need."

"I have never been tempted by any of the food available. The smell just puts me off.

Must be dreadful living right on N C Rd."

Bitter old man springs to mind ....

[StraferJack]

great rebuttal charlieb - and I love the tshirt outside Roullier White at the weekend as well

the food stalls expanding has seen a big improvement with the vibe at the weekend. - and to say the sausage rolls are toenail clippings compared to most old-school chippies?? words fail...

[Jeremy]

Blinkeyblonck - no to cakes. Much as I like cake, we're well served these days with a couple of decent bakeries, and cakes stalls all over the place on the weekends.

Katie's idea of pancakes is good. Gallettes, (savoury filled wholewheat flour pancakes), waffles, churros, could all work too.

Healthy, home-made meals which could be put in the freezer might be a good idea.

[Ridgley]

I have to agree with Otta, there seems to be more tat on sale than anything else and it is over priced.

[MissDumpling]

Thanks, Charliebrown, and other positive posters. We work incredibly hard to produce our wares for this and other markets, so it's pretty disheartening when people write the whole market off in such a dismissive fashion. It's a bit quiet at the moment, but this market isn't dying - and we are very grateful to all of our lovely regular customers who are so supportive and positive about what we're doing. May the market go from strength to strength.

[DulwichFox]

charliebrown Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Dulwich Fox said:

>

> "Plenty of new busineses opening up in ED. trying

> to make a quick buck

> with no actual commitment. They will inevitably be

> another empty shop in 6 months"

>

> "It's fine if you like unrefridgerated sausage

> resembling a condom full of gristle toe-nails and

> beaks."

> There is nothing sold on the stalls in North Cross

> Road that I need."

>

> "I have never been tempted by any of the food

> available. The smell just puts me off.

> Must be dreadful living right on N C Rd."

>

> Bitter old man springs to mind ....

Cannot see where I said any that in this thread..

You seem to have taken a post from another thread which was primarily about empty shops.. ??

Which places it totally of of contex.

My posting here was in response to people questioning lack of stalls..

Why have you not listed my comments from all my posts.

You seem to have enough time on your hands..

Bitter Old man you say...

"Everyday you get a little bit older and a little bit wiser.."

[Nero]

I think that, one the whole, the market is good, but fear that in trying to make it bigger/better, it will end up looking like a shadow of its former self because it won't have the diversity of products or sufficient buyers to make it work.

The cakes, coffee and on-the-hoof food are good, and I am sure the other, static businesses Pretty Traditional, Hope and Greenwood etc. benefit.

I agree with the poster who complained about the smelly waste left from the fish van. If you are reading this, Mr or Mrs Fish, why not flush and disinfect after you've gone? It wouldn't take long and it is really the least you can do.

[StraferJack]

"

"Everyday you get a little bit older and a little bit wiser..""

hmm - I tend to agree more with a famous Corkman on this one

"You get older

You get scared

But you get no wiser"