Tag: newham

Mayday, Mayday, Council trying to pull a fast one

Questionable data used by Council tries to justify demolition of Queen’s Market

Despite the 6,000+ signatures from our public petition and £millions spent from the Good Growth Fund to refurbish aspects of the market, Newham Council’s planning department have decided to continue with their plans to pile on other uses onto the historic 125 year old Queen’s Market. 

The two new options under the title ‘Queen’s Market & Hamara Ghar Investment Strategy Study’ shows new plans for the historic market and for the older people’s homes (Hamara Ghar) located next door to the market. Hamara Ghar includes longtime residents who rely on the market for fresh affordable culturally appropriate food, cloth, clothes and home stuff, not forgetting it being an important social space for them also.

Image above: latest plans earmark Queen’s Market for other uses with the market not being a central priority in the “future vision” that’s being decided behind closed doors.

Council trying to pull the wool over our eyes

The Council’s “dodgy” consultations data and ‘bullheaded’ approach means they have ignored local needs despite spending £3million+ for a Co-create website that local people find difficult to access. This is our collective public money being wasted for their ‘experiments’ during a time of hardship for local families. Inside the Cabinet Report, it states: “The Council will enable every resident to live in an accessible and inclusive neighbourhood which will provide all their social, civic and economic essentials” – well, Queen’s Market already provides this, so why is the Council wasting time and public officer efforts to demolish Queen’s Market? Have the publicly-paid officers got nothing better to do with their time?

FoQM have carefully scoured the plans on the table and see many contradictions in the Councils plans that will decimate the vibrancy of the current historic market and the important social space for many. The Council regeneration department have proved time and time again that THEY CANNOT GIVE ANY REASSURANCES THAT THE MARKET WILL SURVIVE ANY REGENERATION PLANS  – see poor old Rathbone Market in Canning Town that has sadly been turned into a lifeless car park.

Images above (3): Locals have said time and time again that they want Queen’s Market to be retained and protected, but Newham Council doesn’t appear to know what meaningful dialogue is.

A “future vision” that ignores the wishes of local people

Some of these consultation plans say “Refurbish and modernise” which when we last checked means to spruce a place up and give it a lick of paint, not to DEMOLISH THE MARKET COMPLETELY AND SMOTHER IT with a health/community centres, reduced storage for stall holders, tall towers, workspace etc. with the market taking less priority. 

If the nearby Boleyn Grounds is anything to go by, we reckon the flats, health centre and host of other uses being plonked onto Queen’s Market will include LUXURY UNAFFORDABLE FLATS FOR THE ALREADY WEALTHY and even a PRIVATISED MARKET that will ‘zap up’ money that should otherwise go to local people, to local shop owners, local jobs to local families. Queen’s Market is Newham’s most successful public-owned market that subsidises the borough’s other markets, so we know it makes revenue for the Council.

A long-time shopper Nehar said: “Why can’t they [the Council] just leave Queen’s Market be? It’s a proper market that provides for me and my family. The Council seem to want to destroy anything that’s good for us.”

Another local person who has shopped at Queen’s Market for over 35 years says: “During the last consultation [in 2022] I witnessed a Council person (describing themselves as a Translator) say to a family who came along to the consultation: “You want the market to stay, don’t you?”, and then hurriedly tick Option 2 on behalf of the family. It didn’t look like the Translator even knew the difference between both the options. People were given a Hobson’s Choice”. 

Image above : British film ‘Hobson’s Choice, 1954. A Hobson’s choice is when you’re given the impression of choosing from multiple options, but in reality, there’s only one available. A well-known example is “Take it or leave it,” where leaving isn’t really a favourable choice.

There is mounting evidence that Newham Council’s data is dangerously wrong and misleading in order to push through demolition/regeneration, and we reckon a privatisation agenda.

Image above : Friends of Queen’s Market critique on the Council’s data presentation (in bright yellow colour). Local reports say that the Council and private consultants boards mentioned ““Refurbish and modernise” but it actually meant demolition.

The dates for the upcoming in-person consultations in May 2024 are as follows: 

12-3pm on Thursday 16th, Friday 17th, Thursday 23rd and Friday 24th May 2024. Outside unit 12 & 13 at Queen’s Market.

5pm-8pm on Wednesday 21st May 2024 at Green Street Library. 

12-3pm on  Wednesday 28th May 2024 at Katherine Road Community Centre.

5pm-8pm on Thursday 30 May 2024 at Plaistow Library. 

Be sure to pop by, take detailed notes and drop FoQM an email about your experience.

Hold the public officers accountable: our collective taxes pay for their jobs! We do not want to see our main food source and social space, the historic Queen’s Market demolished.

Freedom of Information (FOI) request reveals underspend

The Good Growth fund appears to have been allocated to someplace else without consultation

Newham Council’s failure with the “co-create” process saw £3million+ of public funds (wasted on a website that nobody can navigate properly) resulted in hefty payments to private consultants, and a failure to consult traders and shoppers at Queen’s Market properly. It appears that traders and well-meaning citizens who have had to endure the arduous co-create process, struggling through endless (boring) online meetings have been further ignored – SORRY PEOPLE, LOOKS LIKE THERE’S NO NEW FLOORING FOR QUEEN’S MARKET – so much for a new kind of citizenship.

After months and years of what was to be meaningful dialogue, it appears Newham Council has simply co-created the pigeon netting.

Photo above: the “co create” process has resulted in new pigeon netting, designed to keep pigeons out – hang on, is that a family of pigeons we see inside the netting?

The lack of thoughtful understanding, imagination, willpower or care for the borough’s assets by the Council has meant an underspend of over £1million that was secured to improve Queen’s Market, a grant given by the Greater London Authority (GLA) and Mayor of London’s office under the Good Growth fund.

A sitting Councillor recently stated the following: “Following weeks of research and negotiation a solution was found. Newham Council was able to obtain £700,000 from the GLA’s Good Growth Fund which was to be returned as it wasn’t required by the Council’s Queen’s Market scheme for which it was previously destined.” (Source: Newham 65 blog. 8 April 2024)

SO it appears that Newham Council, Newham’s Mayor, GLA member and certain opportunistic Councillors have reallocated Queen’s Market’s budget to another recent embarrassment for the Council – to Stratford Market Village, a semi-privatised entity. For those who don’t know, Stratford Market Village (formally Inshops located inside Stratford Centre) was closed on January 10th where traders were forced to vacate with just 1 hour’s notice: traders say fresh goods and meat were left rotting inside of storage. This follows on from historic handovers of public property to private companies from Stratford Centre, Groupe Geraud UK, Stratford Market Properties Limited and Unex Group: the process of rampant privatisation started by Newham Council has meant the traders were left with next to no safeguards in their trading contracts.

While Friends of Queen’s Market support the traders and plight of Stratford’s Market Village traders, we think the lack of transparency and DECISIONS BEING MADE BEHIND CLOSED DOORS has meant that Queen’s Market has been left short-changed: it’s believed that £700k from the Good Growth fund has been reallocated without consultation, and is a “kick in the teeth” of those residents and traders who took part in the co create process that was to deliver better quality flooring and other improvements at Queen’s Market.

FoQM know that Queen’s Market makes profits that pay for local jobs eg. look at the huge number of market inspectors, and Queen’s often subsidises other street markets in the borough, but here is a classic example of Newham Council repackaging its failures as a success.

Images above (2): Flyers from the Stratford Market Village campaign go to explain a non-existent Olympics Legacy in Stratford and a land grab ie. privatisation of public land for private developers who are “making a killing” as locals live in adverse poverty and neglect by their own public servants, paid for by their collective taxes.

Photo above: QUICK TO TAKE THE CREDIT. Traders at Stratford’s Market Village were unsure of who to thank for the reopening of their businesses as not everyone was told that the money was coming from the Queen’s Market Good Growth budget.

Through Citizens Assemblies local people were to co-create something, but the process was accused of being overly complicated and excluded local people. Recently this was repackaged under the new banner of “People Powered Places” – same charade, different guise.

Photo above: disempowered-looking Stratford Market Village traders who have experienced major disruptions to their family businesses during a cost-of-living crisis, while Newham Council continues to toy around with public finances – that’s our collective taxes they’re playing with!

While Newham Council repackages its failures as a success, its Queen’s Market they have forgotten to thank.

Does Newham Council even understand what culture is?

£62,369 was wasted on a failed Borough of Culture bid, with Queen’s Market used as a backdrop.

A few months ago Newham Council was blaring on about how it is applying to be the Borough of Culture 2025 and 2027 but sadly their sudden rushed application was not successful, not because Newham doesn’t have any culture or heritage, but most probably because Newham Council has done its best to ruin places of local culture and heritage like Queen’s Market which is still under threat. A number of Councillors showed their faces at events associated with this Culture bid, but do they even understand what local culture is?

In the middle of winter Queen’s Market was used as a backdrop for ‘fancy schmancy’ stalls, with private security and a sea of plastic banners for an event that lasted a few hours – so much for reducing plastic waste! Not many visitors compared to a normal market day. We ask, where is the annual marketing and publicity budget for Queen’s Market?

Slide show: A sea of plastic “pop up” banners at a rather lacklustre launch, as Newham tried to become a Borough of Culture which was unsuccessful. Private security made sure that anything that didn’t fit the bill was swiftly removed.

During the launch event a number of members of the Queen’s Market traders association spoke out against what they described as mistreatment by Newham Council, and the hand-handed policies that made their working lives increasingly unbearable eg. the parking rules, unfair rent increases and fines (Read article: ‘The Council that raked in 10.6million from parking fines‘). The traders speaking out was instead spun by the Council as being disruptive to a child playing a flute – from our experience Newham residents rarely ever get a platform to speak nor heard. Local voices had been stifled by another corporate/ developer-friendly tactic of “culture washing” or “art washing“.

Some traders at Queen’s Market have said that they no longer wish to be photographed and used for Newham Council’s own publicity because they do not trust the motives of the Council to safeguard the market for the foreseeable future. Many say that they were not given consent forms to sign when photographs were used. They’re not getting paid for participation either, but rest assured the private consultants will be paid handsomely!

Newham Council is increasingly being accused of ‘art-washing’ poverty instead of creating genuine places where local people and businesses can thrive. Have you had any recent experience of art-washing inside of the borough?

Unfair rent rises + budget meeting shambles

On a wet Thursday 29 February Friends of Queen’s Market, their supporters including the Stratford Market Village traders held a demonstration at the Old Town Hall against rent rises that are due to increase at Queen’s Market by around 6.5%. “It’s well over inflation and we haven’t seen any improvements nor benefit to the market traders” said one longtime trader at Queen’s Market.

FoQM were there to also show solidarity with the Stratford Market Village traders who had spent months without a job as their family businesses was forcefully closed, where meat and fresh goods perished having not been allowed access.

The Mayor of Newham begun the budget meeting somewhat blaming the public gallery and their political oppositions for all sorts including for sending Tweets (!). Like most Council meetings these days they are full of endless platforming of the Councillors, and it was very boring for most people who attended. The public were only able to speak for a few minutes each, and the frustration overspilled. Newham is one of the poorest boroughs in UK with families experiencing adverse poverty, so naturally the expenditure and public budget affects these communities acutely. There were to be cutbacks in spending and public services. Where local people were given hardly any chance to speak, the Council decided to eject the public gallery from the budget meeting. An FoQM member witnessed hard-handed aggression from the security guards against visitors, including one person who said that their wrist had been twisted by the security.

“We are not even allowed to witness democracy in Newham without being treated like criminals”, said a local resident whose first time it was to a budget meeting.

Following the meeting, we are told that a few local activists were arrested under what sounds very much like false allegations. FoQM saw no major disruption at all, nor targeting of any individuals, instead the public gallery witnessed a sitting Councillor riling up the audience each time they got up to speak.

Photo above: LIGHTS LEFT ON at Stratford’s Old Town Hall while local people have to suffer from cutbacks to public services and increase in energy bills.

Photo above: Campaigns join forces to send a message of NO CUTBACKS. Any budget shortfalls will affect the Newham’s hard-working communities the most.

During the cutbacks to Newham public budget, we hear that certain public representatives will be getting an increase in their wages. Have you looked into Newham’s books lately?

Olympics “Legacy” means closure of local businesses

Newham Council-backed private enterprises have once again demonstrated a preference for enriching the affluent over supporting local family-owned businesses. The beloved Market Village, situated within the Stratford Centre, abruptly closed, leaving traders in financial ruin, with only one hour’s notice!

Local shopkeepers were left dismayed as their livelihoods and family enterprises were seemingly disregarded by Newham Council, who we are told had initially leased the land where Stratford Centre stands to private entities. Later, Groupe Geraud (GeraudUK) took control of the indoor market stalls within the Market Village (formerly Inshops). Then Stratford Markets Properties Limited took control, and now it turns out that the poor traders have to negotiate with Unex – what a winding fiasco!

Despite the bold claims made by the Geraud UK group on their website, their ability to manage a small shop in the East End of London came into question.

One resident expressed their disappointment, stating, “It’s one of the few places I frequent in the centre because of its focus on local people and small businesses. There are East End community cafes, not just faceless chain stores. I used to go for my (Chinese) curried chips, buy books in the African shops, household items and my weekly supply of fruit and meat. The traders were always friendly. The closure of Market Village has made Stratford Centre increasingly dull, and I’ll be reducing my shopping there.”

For further details, read the Newham Recorder story here: https://www.newhamrecorder.co.uk/news/24046578.stratford-centre-confirms-market-village-set-close/

ITV coverage: https://www.itv.com/news/london/2024-01-19/stratford-market-traders-shut-out-of-their-businesses

Time Out: https://www.timeout.com/london/news/this-popular-indoor-market-in-east-london-has-been-forced-to-close-011724

BBC: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-68007233

To find out more about Geraud UK or to make a complaint, visit their (slick) website at: 

https://www.groupegeraud.co.uk/

Be warned! Privatised entities give the impression that traders are safe, but the recent appalling mistreatment of traders at Stratford’s Market Village proves that any kind of privatisation means that responsibility will be passed down to others, and soon traders will be left with next to no rights.

We are told by traders that certain local Councillors have been listening to the traders and trying to help but have been left with nowhere to turn. Where the land is private, no safety is guaranteed, as the big boys make the cash for themselves at the expense of the small traders. If you want to hear the latest on how the Council has responded during this forced displacement, email sabia.kamali@newham.gov.uk

You can sign the community’s petition here: chng.it/5zrdNTCn

Some kind of OLYMPICS LEGACY we have in Newham!

Images (above): a 2-paged letter from the Mayor of Newham that make contradictory statements including that it’s in their “…interest is to protect the livelihoods of local traders…” – well, not for Queen’s Market where we’ve been given just 2 options (not voted for by us), both include unaffordable luxury flats and demolition of the market !

Disruption begins: traders and shoppers kept in the dark over scope of works

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.