good-growth-fund – Page 2 – To promote and preserve a thriving publicly-owned historic street market

New toilets in Queen’s Market have continued to confuse everyone who wants to use them. Recently FoQM found the toilets were not working and in speaking with a staff member from the Market Inspectors Office it wasn’t going to be easy to sort out.

The locking mechanism for the toilet is operated by a credit (or debit) card and if damaged it appears all of the mechanisms are damaged at once, so all of the toilets remain closed until the outsourced specialist contractor is called out to fix the issue.

“A good lock from the local carpenters should have done the trick, but do they listen? We are probably the only work place where not only do we have no access to a toilet when nature calls, but then have to pay for the privilege” said one long time trader at Queen’s Market.

… to add, any costs of repairing the new toilets will be taken out of the Markets budget too.

Thankfully, due to the camaraderie and good nature of the traders in Green Street and Queen’s Market, the traders get assistance from fellow business owners when they have to use a toilet.

The new credit card toilets at Queen’s Market are said to have been co-created using Newham Council’s Co-create platform with money coming from the Good Growth fund.

_{Photo gallery above: CLOSED DOOR HOSPITALITY. The new credit card toilets at Queen’s Market can close at any time without warning, and it appears no way of opening without calling the specialist contractor to get it fixed.}

The digital exclusion of local people from accessing public services is nothing new. For years FoQM and the market traders association have asked for free parking at Queen’s Market that use to happen before, even for the first 30 minutes, but instead visitors are forced to pay through a mobile app only, with no alternative payment options given. For many visitors to the market they are not well versed in the digital phones, gadgets and apps and describe it as a cumbersome process for a small payment. The fussy system is also off-putting for shoppers and affected trade. The traders continue to ask for a cheaper parking rate and a coin-based system that does not discriminate against Newham’s diverse communities.

Since the global Covid-19 lockdown many Newham residents have experienced digital exclusion which results in certain communities, age groups and disabled groups being further ignored with less access to public services.

Happy New Year – but sadly not for us here in Newham!

It appears that the Good Growth funds that were due to improve the market after decades of neglect and managed decline are finally taking place in the market, but traders, shopkeepers and shoppers say that they have been kept in the dark about timelines and when works will be completed satisfactorily. Huge sections of the market have been cordoned off causing disruption, and hardly any workers are on site!

“This really impacts my stall because I cannot bring bulk goods into the market using the usual forklift. It makes our lives difficult, and that for the customers too” said a long time trader.

Another trader said to us: “Where it’s been blocked, there’s no clear signs to say that the market is open. It sends out the wrong message”

The Good Growth Fund from the Mayor of London’s office was secured to spend £millions on refurbishment to the market while Newham Council topped up the fund.

^{Photograph (above): a notice in the flashy new Markets Inspectors office appears to show a plan but with no dates or timelines. Will the works take months or years? We are none the wiser…}

Local people and traders want to see the following:

A full scope of works with clear timelines when works began and when it will end
Improved communication with shoppers, the traders and between decision-makers
Improved signage to signpost customers from the different entrances into the market
More space between walkways and areas that have been cordoned off
Free toilet access for all traders: presently the traders have to pay each time they use the new toilets that were paid for by our taxes via the Good Growth Fund
The main person/ public servant to contact: presently there’s a Green Street team, One Source (a corporate wing of the Council) and the Market Inspectors office (usually quite rude and aggressive), so people are left confused by all of these “pass the buck” style roles
Compensation for trade lost: traders are experiencing difficulties and loss of trade – will they be compensated fairly?

Newham Council say that they have spent around £3million on their Newham “co-create” website and other forms of public engagement but now local people are questioning whether the ideas given in the early stages have made it into these plans for the market, or was it all a waste of time-?

^{Photograph (above): public signs are barely visible while the Council’s real intention to demolish the market is laid bare}

Traders and shoppers have always said that they want no demolition and a robust roof, clean and decent floor and there was promise of underground electrics, but will these transpire into the latest plans – nobody knows!

For any budding investigative journalists out there, maybe you can find out more about how decisions are made inside Newham Council….

_{Gallery (above): sections of the market cordoned off with no clear signage or plans of what’s going on. Traders are squeezed while Newham Council continues to keep locals in the dark.}