Blimey.. what's happened to the market.

[proactive]

Poundland, like any business only exists because there is demand for it. If the indoor market offers what people want at the right price, and people can get to it easily and cheaply, it can thrive again. It has to compete.

It also has to be allowed to compete by our 'masters' and so far they have demonstrated little inclination in that respect.

 

[captainpish]

The day and age of markets has gone, the arrival of Internet shopping and mega stores like tesco with their huge buying power means that you can pretty much buy anything you want without leaving you're house or puck it up from a tesco just down the road. Unfortunately market stalls can't compete with it.

 

[alphagamma]

I feel a conspiracy theory coming on... If the Guildhall is owned by someone from far away, is there any possibility that a local consortium might deliberately want it running down so they can buy it on the cheap?

 

[Gramaisc]

I feel a conspiracy theory coming on... If the Guildhall is owned by someone from far away, is there any possibility that a local consortium might deliberately want it running down so they can buy it on the cheap?

This consortium is local - the one out there is far away.

 

[Withnail]

It should be wetter, but is almost completely dry.

What makes the Wednesday market is the noodles.

Make the market moist.

I've said it before, and here i am saying it again.

 

[Malcolm]

It also has to be allowed to compete by our 'masters' and so far they have demonstrated little inclination in that respect.

Agreed, however if you're referring to the council, they are elected. Well, elected by half of us. The other half probably being the ones now moaning about the state
the place is in...?

 

[Gareth]

Spot on. Plus at the end of the day it is US that stop using markets. The biggest look in the mirror and fingers pointing is at ourselves

 

[Jonah]

That's easy to say but if the market isn't offering what you want, then how are you supposed to buy from it?

 

[Gareth]

Well they offered what we wanted once upon a time, we know this as so many people on here reminisce about the market/ town of old.

issue is the big boys and supermarkets came in and took over and people decided to go with them. Hence you get quieter high streets, little choice in markets which are dying and struggle to compete.

It is you, me and every bugger else why independent family businesses struggle on high streets up and down the country.

we could all make different choices but we elect not to do so as much through convenience or laziness as anything else.

 

[Sk84goal]

As has been pointed out by others the digitisation of retail is progressing at a phenomenal speed. I see a divide appearing between the customer base, Those who are money poor and are forced to shop frugally for which Aldi, Lidl and other discounters will cover and those who are cash rich but time poor whose shopping will be split into the regular 80% of their shop which will order itself with the rollout of IOT ( Internet of things) and the 20% discretional spend which will be spent at those places which make the customer feel good and where they are provided with the best quality and a customer service of the highest quality.

Markets in London are already moving in this direction, strict quality control and a market manager who has final say in what can be sold and the standard at which it must be displayed. Licenced evening markets become chargeable events in their own rights attracting the best artisans and food, Live Jazz , acoustic sets make it a destination, but quality is everything! Better an empty stall than a downmarket one. Markets cannot compete for the cash poor they must fight for the cash rich. They can achieve this by having a strict market management team who control the quality with a passion.

 

[Noah]

Is Penkridge market still going strong I haven’t been there for ages .

Yes, Wednesdays & Saturdays. Popular day out for the inhabitants of Wolverhampton.

 

[1JKz]

Market or poshish car boot?
That's what I thought, the last time I walked through.

 

[joshua]

Good for dog beds, lots of dog beds.....

 

[tek-monkey]

I think supermarkets are, by their very name, what the markets were. Everything we want can be gotten, mostly. As more families require 2 incomes the days of shopping 9-3 4 days a week are gone, especially once commuting and parental duties are included. You say they need to give us what we want, but what we want is someone with good quality priced well that we can access, even if a market stall meets 1 and 2 it can never compete on 3 when most of us are at work when they are open. I am lucky enough to work near the market but rarely spend money with anyone other than John near Wilkos entrance. I can get it all elsewhere, often cheaper.

What I'd like to see is some street food. A one day street food event, fill the empty stalls with people offering cheap food to eat on a lunch break spent avoiding the office. Advertised well I think you'd get a good turnout, it beats a boots meal deal. I've had food from the market square Wednesday market twice now, I'm sure we could support a few regular traders. That said I've heard mention of a Caribbean food place in there, but I've never seen it?

 

[Gramaisc]

There is a fish man in the Market Square on Tuesdays now.

 

[proactive]

There is a fish man in the Market Square on Tuesdays now.

Fresh or freshly defrosted?

 

[Gramaisc]

Fresh or freshly defrosted?

Most fish is frozen, or at least heavily chilled - I hope.

 

[joshua]

The indoor markets time is past, home and bargain, b&m and poundshop are the new goto for folk looking for "cheap goods", its time to end the lease and let the guildhall use it to expand the car park down another couple of floors.
The outdoor market is succesful atm and is helping footfall but more variety in stalls is needed to prevent staleness.
Some folk in this town need to realise the the old days are dead and gone and will not be coming back no matter how much nostalgia grease is applied to their rose tinted specs.
Major change, disruption and repurposing/redevelopment will and should happen.

 

[John Marwood]

It's a combination of poor economic factors and nerves over Brexit

Rothschild looking into Alliance Trust takeover

Saudi Arabia are still bailing out the US as are China

I expect not a crash but a big sleep

 

[proactive]

Most fish is frozen, or at least heavily chilled - I hope.

Well yes but plenty of properly frozen fish is passed off as fresh fish nowadays. If he sells fresh fish then I'll give him a go as Parker's always seem to be shut whenever we go anywhere near