Northcross Road Market

[MissDumpling]

I think there are 30 available pitches, rather than stalls. And in theory, traders could pitch up Monday to Saturday, but in reality there just isn't the footfall in the week to make this viable.

[James Barber]

Mon-Thurs up to 10 stalls are allowed.

Fri & Sat up to 30 stalls.

[pgnf]

Does anyone know how much do you pay for a stall in Northcross road market??

[James Barber]

Please check Southwarks website - http://www.southwark.gov.uk/info/200066/street_trading and call them on 020 7525 6000.

[pgnf]

Thanks James, I have just send them an e-mail. Hopefully I will get a reply.

[James Barber]

Tonights Dulwich Community Council we'll be deciding on whether to extend the current experimental traffic order for another 12 months.

A traffic survey 1 May before the closure of North Cross Road with Lordship Lane showed 324 vehicle movements along Nutfield Road between 8am and 5pm and 2 July with the junction closed showed 475 vehicles along Nutfield Road.

If you live on Nutfield Road does it feel acceptable?

EDITED to attach the two traffic counts.

[James Barber]

At last night Dulwich Community Council we discussed how North Cross Road Market is working with the road closure.

We agreed that the parking restrictions on the south side should be slightly extended so that all 20 stalls have somewhere to set-up/be. Bizarre that hadn't been thought of before.

The committee also agreed with me that Fridays the parking restrictions should be cut right back. Fridays only attract 3 or 4 stalls but parking restrictions apply the whole way along. So the parking restrictions will be scaled back on Fridays. The traffic management orders to make this happen will take some time and not be ready until the new year but it will be an improvement.

[sambobia]

Thanks for the update, James. Sounds v sensible.

[Selma]

I wanted to have a stall on Saturday selling Swedish food (specialising on Gravlax ). Was informed that they don?t grant more food stalls as shops has complained it takes business from them. ?Arts and Craft? would however be appropriate.

I live off Nortcross road and I love the fact East Dulwich is becoming a place for food lovers.

Shame not everyone share my opinion.

[Sue]

Selma Wrote:

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

> I wanted to have a stall on Saturday selling

> Swedish food (specialising on Gravlax ). Was

> informed that they don?t grant more food stalls as

> shops has complained it takes business from them.

> ?Arts and Craft? would however be appropriate.

> I live off Nortcross road and I love the fact East

> Dulwich is becoming a place for food lovers.

> Shame not everyone share my opinion.

xxxxxxxx

There's nowhere else in East Dulwich selling Swedish food, as far as I know.

Yet there's a cheese stall in the market which must surely be in direct competition with the cheese shop just round the corner in Lordship Lane.

The council seems somewhat inconsistent. Which shops have complained? Why should they take precedence for customers? Surely competition is a good thing?

I think the more food stalls the merrier, I'd rather the option to buy nice food than overpriced so-called "arts and crafts".

[Rosie Posy]

Sue Wrote:

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

> Selma Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > I wanted to have a stall on Saturday selling

> > Swedish food (specialising on Gravlax ). Was

> > informed that they don?t grant more food stalls

> as

> > shops has complained it takes business from

> them.

> > ?Arts and Craft? would however be appropriate.

> > I live off Nortcross road and I love the fact

> East

> > Dulwich is becoming a place for food lovers.

> > Shame not everyone share my opinion.

>

> xxxxxxxx

>

> There's nowhere else in East Dulwich selling

> Swedish food, as far as I know.

>

> Yet there's a cheese stall in the market which

> must surely be in direct competition with the

> cheese shop just round the corner in Lordship

> Lane.

>

> The council seems somewhat inconsistent. Which

> shops have complained? Why should they take

> precedence for customers? Surely competition is a

> good thing?

>

> I think the more food stalls the merrier, I'd

> rather the option to buy nice food than overpriced

> so-called "arts and crafts".

I agree with Sue on the issue of crafts, I paid a visit to the Blackwater Court Market after I had spent a while at Northcross Road last Saturday, and I have to say that I was really surprised at the difference in the two, nearly all the sellers at Blackwater Court had stock that had obviously been made by them with love and care, the workmanship of some things were really good, and worth the money being asked, but Northcross Road? Sorry no, I think the council really need to make sure the items being sold are really crafted not just bought in from China etc.

[Sue]

Rosie Posy Wrote:

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

> I agree with Sue on the issue of crafts, I paid a

> visit to the Blackwater Court Market after I had

> spent a while at Northcross Road last Saturday,

> and I have to say that I was really surprised at

> the difference in the two, nearly all the sellers

> at Blackwater Court had stock that had obviously

> been made by them with love and care, the

> workmanship of some things were really good, and

> worth the money being asked, but Northcross Road?

> Sorry no, I think the council really need to make

> sure the items being sold are really crafted not

> just bought in from China etc.

xxxxxxxx

I bought a bedspread/throw on North Cross Road a few months back after I had a (small!) windfall.

Don't get me wrong, I'm very pleased with it, but I was somewhat taken aback to find out later that I could have got an identical one cheaper at the V&A (I think, might have been Tate Modern) shop :-S

[Mrs TP]

Oh Rosie Posy I love you - I was in Blackwater Court on Saturday selling photographic prints (http://marketprints.co.uk) having previously been refused a licence at Northcross Road on Fridays because there are '3 other people doing what I do'. I have never really seen myself in competition with the food stalls in Northcross on a Friday. Having been through the application process for Northcross and followed all the guidelines to the letter and still a year on without a licence for there I am at a loss as to what you have to do - it seems a very odd set up.

Anyway the next Blackwater Court market is on Saturday December 3rd and it would be great to see as many of you there as possible.

[Rosie Posy]

I loved your photo's and if I wasn't surrounded by my Husband and youngest Son's work would probably have bought one! Just as a matter of interest I phoned the council this Monday to find out what the situation is with Northcross Road as I will be hoping to showcase my work in the spring, and spoke briefly to a young man who said they are really trying to push Fridays at the moment, interesting.....Don't get me wrong the people I spoke to at Northcross were very friendly and open but I really was surprised at the things on sale. As an aside the three guys busking, that was a nice touch, you should go back!!

[Sue]

Rosie Posy Wrote:

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

>

> As an aside the three guys busking, that was a

> nice touch, you should go back!!

xxxxxxxx

Yes, they were great weren't they, a pleasant surprise :)

I hope they'll be back too :)

First time I've ever heard The Irish Rover in North Cross Road .....

[Woodburn]

Selma,

I think it is absolutely ludicrous if the council ? or rather the local businesses!! ? has decided not to grant more food stands. Since I do most of my shopping during the week, my only reason for going to North Cross road/ LL on Saturday is for the market. And I will honestly say that I don?t have a need to visit art and craft stalls on a weekly basis but me and my family has now started this lovely tradition of popping down to the market for lunch every Saturday. While there, I have bought a few smaller things from the stalls in the past, popped in to the regular shops and also had some great drinks/snacks/dinner later at the pubs. If it had not been for the market lunch, those stalls, shops and pubs would not have gotten my business. So Selma, I really hope the local business and the council reconsider because the food certainly adds both charm and a great reason for visiting the local businesses. Shame they are so narrow minded!!

[James Barber]

If anyone is unhappy with how they've been treated trying to become a stall holder at North Cross Road makret please contact me.

It sounds odd that someone trying to sell Swedish food has been refused, etc.

PS. I should have pointed out that we've committed to use our devolved highway maintenance budget to resurface as much of North Cross Road as we can - now that it has lots of people walking on it and is so uneven it needs fixing before someone gets hurt.

[Mrs TP]

Cheers Rosie Posy - one day I may land the holy grail of the Northcross Road pitch.

Look forward to seeing your work on display - keep us posted.

[Rosie Posy]

'Doffs cap to Mrs TP' I do hope you are successful, in fact I went back today with youngest Son and it was the same people as far as I can recall, couple of different ones though, second hand furniture etc. there is a lot of unused space on one side of the road it seems, or is that just me? Please do keep us updated!! ;-)

[Lue Lue]

Ohhhh.. Swedish food would be awesome as the only shops selling that is around central! I'm crossing my fingers!

[Lue Lue]

Selma Wrote:

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

> I wanted to have a stall on Saturday selling

> Swedish food (specialising on Gravlax ). Was

> informed that they don?t grant more food stalls as

> shops has complained it takes business from them.

> ?Arts and Craft? would however be appropriate.

> I live off Nortcross road and I love the fact East

> Dulwich is becoming a place for food lovers.

> Shame not everyone share my opinion.

Ohhhh.. Swedish food would be awesome as the only shops selling that is down central! I'm crossing my fingers!

[neilson99]

There's something interesting about the psychology of people who come on this forum to just have a whinge about something that they don't like, don't use and which in 99% of cases (smelly fish van and an additional 20 seconds walking time aside) doesn't seem to affect them! If you don't like it, fine! Just keep on walking to J Sainsbury or wherever.

I often wander through the market, by the occassional smoothing or sarny, its not Harrod's or even Borough Market granted but generally I just think a bit of free enterprise by individuals who bring something a little different and say hello as you wander by, rather than faceless corporates like the Co-op or Iceland is a good thing, so more power to them. The council could do worse than encourage one of those christmas markets to give ED a boost over the weekends running into Christmas.

[kate_riddlesdown]

Does anyone know how to go about renting a space for a market stall on north cross road? Who would i need to speak to and how much would it cost?

[MissDumpling]

You have to apply to Southwark Council - temporary pitch fee is ?24 for a Saturday. Good luck!

[Renata Hamvas]

I'm a member of the Licencing Committee and we had a meeting last night. Northcross Rd Market was one of the agenda items. It was approved for the market to now have 20 permanent pitches (same trader each week with electricity supply) and 10 temporary pitches (no electricity supply and varying traders). In light of Selma's posts above in relation to a Swedish food stall, I specifically raised her case.I was told that there is no problem with additional food stalls providing different food products to those available on this market (tending towards the organic or homemade type of foods). All the permanent pitches are currently filled and it is felt that having no guarantee of a pitch is less than ideal if you're selling food, particularly in terms of managing stock, and the temporary pitches don't have electricity. So Selma and Kate, if you don't mind not being able to have a stall every week and don't need electricity, than contact the Council. There is more availability on Friday than Saturday.

The market is becoming more popular with traders, and we were informed that in recent weeks, all pitches have been booked. There is some availability for the pre-Xmas Market on Friday 23rd December (last chance to shop or have a stall there before Xmas!)

Renata