To promote and preserve a thriving publicly-owned historic street market
Friends of Queen's Market (FoQM) – keeping Queen's Market in the community's hands!
Over the last few years extensive research has been carried out by researchers and academics from the School of Sociology and Social Policy, University of Leeds and Queen’s Market in Upton Park was one of their case studies.
Taylor M, Watson S, González S, Newing A, Buckner L and Wilkinson R. 2021. Queen’s Market: a successful and specialised market serving diverse communities in Newham and beyond:
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LOW PRICES are the bedrock of Queen’s Market and why so many individuals and families need to shop here. SIZE MATTERS. A trader keeps prices low by buying a whole palette wholesale, and passes these savings onto the customer, in the form of cheaper prices. If space were restricted and only small amounts of wholesale goods could be purchased, prices would rise significantly. A palette takes up space, so some traders need a large floor area and enough storage space. Why storage space? A trader sees a wholesale bargain and needs to be able to buy it then and there, but may need to store the goods temporarily before putting them out for sale.
LOW STALL AND SHOP RENTS mean LOW PRICES FOR CUSTOMERS.
It doesn’t take a genius to work out this equation but the Council struggles to do so. Traders have been hit with greedy rent increases that have destabilised them or pushed them out. Much-loved businesses have gone, such as the stationers and furnishing curtain fabric shop. Yet, as shown in the 2011-12 accounts, the market can pay its way and still make a surplus when charging lower, affordable rents.
Customers have told FoQM that Queen’s Market has helped them gain access to fresh affordable food with little need to queue during the hardest times of the recent Coronavirus lockdown.
From 2009 to 2013 we had a market development manager whose job was not just enforcement –acting like the school headmaster keeping the kids on order – but developing and improving the market. We had our arguments with him but the market was buzzing – full of stalls and with a waiting list. And all this was achieved with a staff of four!
Now from outside the market we have the London Mayor promising much-needed new flooring, lights and toilets, but meanwhile – the market is shrinking!
Empty spaces in the market are increasing at an alarming rate. It makes the market look dead and frustrates the shoppers who like to be able to have a good walk round and compare prices on a number of stalls. We have more staff in the market office and fewer traders.
What’s going on? As far back as 2006 developers argued that the market “suffers from a proliferation of certain uses such as …. fruit and vegetables”! As far as we can see there seems to be a programme to cut down on fruit and veg stalls; ones that close are not replaced: existing traders who want to expand into another pitch get told ‘no’ when they ask. And this goes for other goods like groceries.
So now we have empty spaces in the market – and a waiting list of traders who want to trade in goods that the Council thinks are at ‘saturation’ point. And more traders who did not even make it on to the waiting list – at community gatherings tales are told of would-be traders who have knocked on the office door and abruptly been refused- just like that. Perhaps a process could be worked out to give a bit of transparency so that everyone can be aware that the office staff uphold the highest standards of customer service at all times.
Disappointed shoppers who want more stalls selling the gear they love to buy, disappointed traders who aren’t allowed to sell the goods they can buy skilfully at great wholesale prices – what’s behind this problem? We’d hazard a guess that the Planning department would like to see the market run down so that there is plenty of space for their beloved luxury flats. And that their dreams of the wealthy flocking to Newham to buy £500k apartments kind of make them despise the ordinary Newham people who need cheap food. They want the market to sell ’gentrified ‘gear; oil paintings and £5 fancy loaves of bread. Trouble is Newham’s traders don’t want to sell this stuff because nobody will buy it.
Is there any hope? Well the top bods who oversee ’public realm’ are doing a review of markets strategy including goods sold and restrictions. They have promised to tell us what’s going on.
‘People at the heart of all we do’ Which people? Planners, developers, or local shoppers and traders? We just want our ‘buzzing’ market back! And Friends of Queens Market will fight for it.
We are very fortunate to have the Leeds University / Markets for People research study that supports with facts and data all the aspects of the market championed by FoQM. This study comes out of the UK market sector’s interest in evidence for the social and cultural value of street markets.
The study should be required reading for council officers, councillors, contractors and anyone with decision-making powers over Queen’s Market.
We agree 100% with the study’s overarching recommendations, as well as the detail:
See the Markets 4 People, University of Leeds initial finding here (scrolling PDF):
The market has been in existence since 1904 and has a vital role to play for the people of Newham. Since it was formed in 2003, Friends of Queen’s Market (FoQM) has supported, promoted and defended the market. Over the years FoQM realise that words have been SPUN OUT OF CONTROL to fit with development plans and to serve PRIVATE AGENDAS with decisions being made behind closed doors.
The market has been internationally and nationally recognised. Queen’s Market is worth protecting, by any measure, and must remain strong into the future, whatever happens.
The council says: “Whatever happens, there will always be a market and sheltered housing on the site.” But does this statement have any real meaning? A few random stalls in a concrete wasteland can be called a market, like Rathbone Market in Canning Town. There are few facts available about the council’s intentions but one thing is clear: because of Newham’s Local Plan, Queen’s Market is being seen as a development site and is unlikely to survive any new proposals unless the Council understands the nature and role of this market and genuinely wants to keep it running as we know it today.
Over the years we’ve had many conversations with Newham’s planning department but they just don’t care. They say one thing that later results in the opposite. The local people suffer because of planners’ ‘lies’. All they want to do is wash their hands off of our public spaces. These public spaces belong to us all and we deserve access to them.
– account from a shopper and member of FoQM
To promote and preserve a thriving publicly-owned historic street market 