News / St Nicholas Market
‘Market traders could lose a lot of money’
Proposed changes to St Nick’s Market could destroy people’s livelihood, according to a number of traders.
Bristol City Council is planning to add hot food stalls to both the Wednesday and Friday markets, and to introduce a new vegan market on Mondays.
But both food and non-food traders are left fearing they will lose footfall and income on busy market days.
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At a heated meeting at the market on Wednesday, which Bristol24/7 attended despite being asked to leave by council representatives, the service director, market manager and others heard the views of traders.
In response to concerns from business-owners, the council has scrapped plans to move pitches for existing traders, but the amended proposals have still enraged many.
The city council is planning to add hot food stalls to both the Wednesday and Friday markets, and to introduce a new vegan market on Mondays
Kat Jones, manager of Eatchu, told Bristol24/7: “I can see the reasons why it’s good to build a stronger market feel, and there’s potential to bring people together more as a community, but there’s no evidence that footfall will increase.
“These are people, whose trade is their livelihood, people who see it (St Nick’s Market) as their second home could potentially lose a lot of money. What evidence have they gathered that it will work?”
Bill Edrich, service director for the market, told the traders at the meeting that he wants “the same thing” as them. He said: “We want the market to be a thriving place.”
Edrich tried to reassure the traders present that the changes were a risk, but a necessary risk, in order to generate more income for both them and the council.
One trader responded, saying: “You’re taking a risk with my money. It’s not the city who loses out, it’s me.”
The non-food traders at the meeting said they were left feeling neglected by the management’s priorities in terms of marketing, which they say focuses on food.
Juliet, chair of the Wine Street food traders, said: “You have a raft of local restaurants that are bringing out lunchtime specials. It doesn’t serve anyone to reduce and saturate what we already have.”
The traders were also keen to voice their suggestions of alternative ways to increase footfall and trade to current businesses, rather than bringing in new traders to the existing market.
A Bristol City Council spokesperson said: “We have read and listened to a range of comments regarding increasing market activity and have taken any concerns seriously. We have attempted to find a compromise that will benefit the market as a whole.
“We need to be able to develop and change the offer at St Nick’s in line with market trends and customer demands and need a flexible approach to this.
“We encourage traders to provide us with regular feedback about the impact that any changes we make so that we can continually assess things and make alterations as time goes on. The markets team will also work with traders to increase marketing activity and public awareness of St Nicholas Markets as a whole.”
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