London Farmers Market = Northcote road?? Post Reply

[SW11locallocallocalSW11]

Does anyone else wish that we could get "London Farmers Market" on Northcote road on sundays?

[Pomegranate]

I would love to see a farmers market on Northcote Road, especially as the road will be closed to traffic on a Sunday. Would be great to be able to wander and browse a food market. Fingers crossed.

[Jonny Dyson Property Consultants]

Thanks for your comments above.

We have looked at the viability of a farmers market on Northcote Road a few times, especially as you say, now that the council have decided that they would like to keep the summer weekend closure going forwards for the long term.  There are however numerous difficulties:

• The local shops are pretty averse to the idea as it creates more competition. I know, additional footfall should mean more business for everyone, however many just don't see it that way.
  
• Farmers markets would want all year around, not just the summer months, so getting people to just come from May to September is very difficult.
  
• There are no means to supply electricity or water, so they would all need to be self sufficient and also have generators (which residents have always complained about in the past).
  
•  
  

So whilst overall we would be fully supportive of the idea, it has been discussed on many occasions in the past and it's just not viable I'm afraid.

Jonny

[Beketaten]

That's a shame. 

There's a market in Venn Street in Clapham on Saturdays https://www.vennstreetmarket.co.uk/

[chorister]

There's also an absolutely wonderful Farmer's Market with real, proper farmers in Earlsfield https://www.lfm.org.uk/markets/wimbledon/ (for some odd reason they call it Wimbledon Farmer's Market).

[SW11locallocallocalSW11]

Is there evidence that London Farmers market would "take" trade away from local shops?

Other than that has someone actually approached - lfm - and asked their requirements?

Perhaps we could compromise with the local shops and have it once a month?

Having access to locally grown food is so important (nutrition etc) and supporting those farmers and meeting them too.

[jo.dough]

I’ve always thought the playground at Belleville school would be a great place to have a farmers market and they’d have a water supply and electricity too if needed. Wonder if that’s ever been considered?

[atbattersea]

Historically there have always been market stalls in Northcote Road, but over the years they have found it less and less viable and have gradually diminished. I think it is unlikely that such would be viable in the future.

I also believe it very unlikely that actual “farmers” would bring their own goods to “market” in central London. Morelikely this is a maketing term/Americanism that is totally divorced from the reality of the situation.

[Indianna]

We used to have some fantastic fresh produce stalls on Northcote Road.  There was a fruit stall and veg stall.  Neither have survived.  Those suggesting a farmers market could have supported the local stall holders!  Even breadstall has pivoted to pizza rather than the bread it used to do. 

Many people just want to wander round looking at the stalls and buy a coffee before going home to wait for their Ocado delivery.  

We were so sad when it became evident that Bunny had packed up the veg stall for good after lockdown.  We were there every week.
 

[SW11locallocallocalSW11]

Hi, from my understanding of lfm org - these are definitely farmers who bring their own produce.

Belleville would be an amazing location!

[SnappyValley]

There are already farmers markets in Balham, Earlsfield, Wimbledon, and there was one for a while in the Shaftesbury estate side of Battersea

If people are uninterested enough to make the small trip to the existing markets, I doubt they are going to be hugely supportive customers to a new one!

Plus there are only a finite numbers of farmers than can trade at these, so establishing one in Northcote road means the stalls have to stop attending their existing market.