Stafford craft and vintage market

Em L

Mental Floss
We did wonder if changing the name to fair instead of market might get around it, it'd be a real pain in the rear to do mind, considering the amount of advertising paid for which states market!! Part of me would really be disgusted that just changing the name might make a difference to be honest! Though if it meant we could stay open it would have to be done :(
 

Gramaisc

Forum O. G.
I suspect that somebody is just trying to be 'important' and that standing up to this quasi-legal bullying is a reasonable tactic at this stage..

Just my opinion.
 

proactive

Enjoying a drop of red.
I suspect it is still technically illegal to peel parsnips in Market Square.
Not to mention it being a section-able offence, or at least it should be.


I suspect that somebody is just trying to be 'important'
Never forget there are so many 'important' people who work for SBC, or at least who think they are.


It's all a bit rich really coming from a council that has seemingly done all it can to stifle trade and back stab the regular market traders through ridiculous rent increases and handing out temporary pitches to casual traders in direct competition to them! Smacks of being miffed because they're missing out on a potential revenue stream.
 

Em L

Mental Floss
Yeah we were told someone would be over to inspect it - but he didn't introduce himself. My partner figured who he was though when he was the only person to stomp straight upstairs without even looking at the stall in the foyer. Think he realised he'd been clocked cause he didn't even look at the rest of the stalls, just made a quick exit while James was busy with a customer. We would have been polite, honest....!
 

Dabbler

Well-Known Forumite
Something doesn't add up here. Go back about 3 years and there used to be a monthly 'craft' market held in Market Square, which was organised by a company called Event Men. I don't recall there being a problem with that, and that was definitely held on the 3rd Saturday of every month.

Good luck, I hope this works for you because Stafford really needs something like this!
 

Em L

Mental Floss
I think it's possibly all stemmed from someone having a bit of a moan and demanding that someone try and do something about it. We just really didn't appreciate the guys sneakiness (is that even a word?) and the fact he only called us the day before our first market. It worried us and all our stallholders - without reason now it seems. All seems to be ok now though and thats definitely the thing that matters most!!
 

My Name is URL

Well-Known Forumite
Well I went down to Stafford Market last night... had a couple of watches that needed fixing and heard reports on here about a watch repair stall.... went there after a meeting in town... got there at 4:45pm and the place was closed up.... WTF?!?!

Ok admittedly town is dead at that time, but if they opened until 5:30 or 6pm, might they not pick up trade of people leaving work?

So anyway rather than moaning about enterprise coming to the town which may have a positive effect, why don't they think about how they could improve themselves?

@ Em L - does your market have a website? What sort of things do you sell? Its difficult for me to get into town in the middle of the day in the week so want to see if you sell anything of interest before making the effort...

Oh and still need my watches fixing... only need the strap retainer loops which have broken on both watches.... one strap is white rubber / silicone type.... and the other is black leather patent with orange stitching.... not the easiest thing in the world to find, looks like I might have to but a whole strap from ebay... but if anyone has any suggestions of alternatives that just sell the loops?
 

Goldilox

How do I edit this?
-
We did wonder if changing the name to fair instead of market might get around it, it'd be a real pain in the rear to do mind, considering the amount of advertising paid for which states market!! Part of me would really be disgusted that just changing the name might make a difference to be honest! Though if it meant we could stay open it would have to be done :(

It seems odd that the Record Fayre seemed to get away with it, whilst pretty much doing exactly what you have - i.e. providing space for a particular specialism of stall....
 

Hothouse Flower

Well-Known Forumite
Well I went down to Stafford Market last night... had a couple of watches that needed fixing and heard reports on here about a watch repair stall.... went there after a meeting in town... got there at 4:45pm and the place was closed up.... WTF?!?!


Oh and still need my watches fixing... only need the strap retainer loops which have broken on both watches.... one strap is white rubber / silicone type.... and the other is black leather patent with orange stitching.... not the easiest thing in the world to find, looks like I might have to but a whole strap from ebay... but if anyone has any suggestions of alternatives that just sell the loops?

Try the polish jewellers opposite the police station....can't spell it but it's something like swlinski....anyway they are usually very good at that sort of thing.
 

mickyboy

Well-Known Forumite
to me, it is obvious why the council have dug up these ancient laws in objection to the craft market..............it wasn't their idea to have this craft market in the first place and god forbid anyone in this town coming up with a viable venture.

But just thought, if you cant have a market within a set distance of the said market, then are Sainsburys, Tesco etc breaking this ancient law.......
 

Gramaisc

Forum O. G.
There is a sign on the traffic lights by Pennycrofts saying that there was a craft fair at the Seven Stars in Brocton last Sunday - I don't recall seeing the Police helicopter surveying the scene..
 

United57

Well-Known Forumite
Well I went down to Stafford Market last night... had a couple of watches that needed fixing and heard reports on here about a watch repair stall.... went there after a meeting in town... got there at 4:45pm and the place was closed up.... WTF?!?!
?

Market closes at 4.30 on Tuesday and Thursday. 5 on Friday. Its set by the council.
 

tek-monkey

wanna see my snake?
Good old council, not enough to make them close 3 days a week. Better restrict their opening times too, just in case the poor supermarkets get unhappy.
 

Em L

Mental Floss
Hi Guys, just a reminder this is running again tomorrow, had a lot of interest due to the articles in the paper and we have extra stalls on top of the ones we had last week - so please come on over and have a look ;)
 

Gareth

Well-Known Forumite
The council do not make the market close for 3 days a week. This has been reveiwed a number of times by the council but have had resistance from pitch holders.

Within the last 2 years the council offered Monday and Wednesday (at different times) openings at free rent to pitch holders. The reponse was a disastor as pitch holders stated increased costs for staffing etc, fair enough. But the council were confused by this as it would be a free rent day, which pitch holders pay on any other open market day.
 

gilesjuk

Well-Known Forumite
What do you expect from councils? they love their job of telling people what to do and trying to control peoples lives. When they're not doing that they're striking.

What's wrong with competition and bringing people into the town? this craft thing is something you can't get out of town.
 
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