Sydenham Market - Saturday, 10th May

[michael]

11am-5pm tomorrow at Venner Square & Queensthorpe Square, Sydenham Road
Please come along and support the local traders. Don't be put off by a little bit of rain, just bring an umbrella (it is still more fun than shopping at a boring supermarket)!

[G-Man]

I'm sure we'll pop down but I do hope it's better organised than last month. I found it really disappointing. We need more food stalls and more of our local producers selling too. And more stalls. I know it was said last months was over prescribed but it felt like most of the plot near Queensthorpe was taken up by Sky!

Cheers

G-Man

[JMLF]

Concur with the G-Man wholeheartedly.
Will be there for sure.

[Chris Best]

Weather holding so please come and support the traders at the street market on Venner Square - we need to work together to make sure the market continues to attract quality stall holders.

[Chris Best]

Feedback from today's market

• shame that some stall holders cancelled because of the weather forecast

• better mix on Venner Square and welcome return of some stallholders who live locally

• food stalls with hot foot from Mishmishnosh, Elvira's Secret Pantry and Vegan Creole but need for more food stalls with a booking for home made chocolates next month - cheese stall would be welcome

• great craft stalls including Jayne Williams homemade jewellery, Philip Pound photography, Lucy Morton homemade cards and gifts, Liono Scialo Limited Edition prints, Jucy Lane Creates bespoke homemade cards for special occasions and gifts, Tanya's knitted accessories, handmade candles and soaps, Judy Dyson landscapes on cards, Lucy Lynch Homeware, rugs and handbags, and a first time trader with an exciting range of crafts including knitted soft toys

• community stalls including Sydenham Community Library selling books and plants, Sydenham Society and Sydenham Arts Festival handing out brochures etc

• some traders would welcome weekly market on a Saturday to help build more visitors

Request from Lewisham's street stall manager to book early so that stalls can be promoted in advance - and more hot food stalls welcomed as electric available on the columns.

Sydenham Arts Festival have offered to put on taster sessions next month and anyone wishing to perform to get in touch with SEE3 - info@SEE3.co.uk

Despite the showers there was steady footfall and a desire to see more stalls next month - so book early with Lewisham markets at a cost of £35 for a stall or £25 for a pitch and bring your own stall.

[art4]

I'm unsure if I have done this the correct way but have deleted a response because was concerned that my tone was critical rather than helpful

[leenewham]

Thanks to Chris for sharing the valuable feedback and transparency.

I hope that the market continues. I think it's an important addition to the high street. I wasn't able to go on Saturday but I"m glad the food stalls have returned and the mix is better.

If the area had some banners or bunting the week before or even days before advertising the market in Sydenham, I think it would help. Sydenham road has a lot of passing traffic. Being able to advertise the market in advance in a visible way in the pocket squares may be a good move in the future to add to the marketing mix.

On Saturday we went to a garden centre just outside Bromley and there was bunting all over this little village and signs for the fete taking place next weekend. It looked great, felt like a fete and made us want to go next weekend. West Norwood Feast are very good at this sort of thing too. They make their markets feel like locally run, exciting little pockets of stalls selling things made by small producers and locals artisans.

With the Maple leaf lighting posts in both squares and outside the station, this. or something similar, should be extremely easy to do. There is funding still available for signage in Sydenham isn't there Chris, perhaps it's worth investing in something like this for the market?

[Tim Lund]

I'm unsure if I have done this the correct way but have deleted a response because was concerned that my tone was critical rather than helpful

Whatever you've done, it looks as if you've done it fine

[Annie.]

I read your post before you removed it, yes,It was a bit critical.
You are obviously very talented, I would love to hear your ideas instead of your criticism's

[art4]

Okay I will try. Actually I can get on my own nerves sometimes

[Annie.]

It happens to us all!

[jonathan_har]

Good idea Lee about advertising banners, if anybody reading this has the power to do so, please make it happen! There is a banner in Herne Hill station advertising the HH market, it gets my attention and am sure lots of others who pass through.

I enjoyed the market yesterday, particularly the food from Mishmishnosh, nicely presented too, and Vegan Creole - a whole cake for £4! The craft stalls looked good although unfortunately my 2 year old wasn't in the mood for browsing. I thought the market was better than 2 weeks ago, fewer stalls but better variety. Personally I'd like to see two thirds food stalls and one third craft. Yesterday I think it was the other way around.

I caught a report on the radio the other day on how farmers markets have fared through the recession. One interesting point was how markets in this country are scheduled infrequently, in Europe and the U.S. they are weekly. A visit to a market here is a special trip and a treat, markets elsewhere are just part of the shopping habit.

Interesting that Chris Best mentioned that some of the traders were interested in a weekly market. With a core of key regular stalls that could be relied upon, this would be a good move IMO, moving it in people's minds from "treat" to "part of the shopping habit", becoming more a part of the High St. And there would be no confusion about whether it was on this Saturday or the next because it would be on every week.

[Chris Best]

Thanks for the feedback and yes Lee we do have SEE3 funds for Sydenham signage as well as Shop Local. I am going to ask Pedder for permission to use the railing to hang a banner in advance of the market and looking at A boards and lamppost holders for additional signage to link the two market spaces. Maybe something we can work together to deliver.

Lewisham have marked out the pitches on Venner and Queensthorpe Squares and we have space for 23 stalls - 20 x SEE3 and 3 BYO. For next month we will put some energy into getting more food stalls - we are competing with the weekly Horniman Farmers' Market where the popular Mr Muffin and DB Foods trade from 9am to 1.30pm whereas we trade from 11 - 5 to support the shops. I will contact some of the food traders who operated last year as well as French Delices who traded in April. We just need to make sure we get the balance of hot food and savoury right and not to many cake stalls. Over time I think our market will become weekly and encourage some of our young entrepreneurs to trade.

If anyone has contacts with market traders then spread the word to register with Lewisham and book a stall.

We are also working on theme entertainment to bring families to the high street.

[leenewham]

This is a really good article on markets.

I think what has happened in Sydenham is a really good start, but I hope it evolves into something really magical. I keep harping on about the West Norwood Feast. It works really well and spreads trade (and footfall) down the high street. It's PR an website and signage all feel bespoke. It looks and feels great with bunting. Bunting is cheap, looks great and makes an area FEEL like a market. Plus the local community can make it (It would have been a great activity to run in Jill or another local workshop or shop). We designed bunting for Northwood Hills and Ruislip Manor when we created the branding for their run days/traders days and markets. It looks great strung up across lampposts and in front of shops. West Norwood Use it.

West Norwood Feast has also been mentioned in an article in Time Out about the best markets in London (as was Crystal Palaces market.)

http://now-here-this.timeout.com/2014/0 ... um=twitter

Having entertainment etc as Chris said is also a great idea. We have the arts festival here, perhaps a traditional puppet show at the market or some of the types of acts that made the Fun Day in Home park so entertaining for all might be a good addition. I'd bring my son to see something like that while eating some amazing local food.

I think, to survive as a market, it needs to be special, bespoke, exciting and have a buzz about it. It has to be more than a collection of stalls selling stuff. I hope it turns into that and attracts the sort of vibe that will make people talk about it and look forward to it so these forum pages are full of people discussing what a great tim they had. Like they do here about another market: https://www.facebook.com/wnfeast

[art4]

I know that I’ve taken a vow not to be critical but you sound over excitable?

Jill should have become the bunting hub?

Why did I know that you’d have designed bunting before?

A Punch and Judy show?

Why can’t I just pop to the shops or to the market quietly without becoming self-conscious, reluctantly find my recorder and play ‘Three Blind Mice’ en route? (I didn’t learn the piano)

Forcing anything never works

[art4]

No am trying to write a presentation.

Should I delete this post too, I don't mind?

I think to try too hard will make matters worse

[leenewham]

Oh, for goodness sake Joanne, really?

How about saying one thing positive or sharing one good idea on this forum rather than moaning all the time. Blimey!

[art4]

My opinion is that there have been and still are lots of avoidance tactics going on which are easier to deal with instead of facing the main issues.

I have Aspergers so the way that I can express myself is in a straightforward way to say the least.

I’m tired, if I remember what I’d like to say then will do tomorrow.

[Rachael]

A weekly market with regular stall holders that focused on fresh food (ie ingredients to add to the weekly shop) would be a good thing, and more likely to be supported by locals and to support other traders than the monthly model.

Banners and bunting are essential marketing tools and have the added advantage of giving Sydenham as a whole an identifier as a high street. When I am passing through other parts of London I always notice these sorts of banners. It help me identify the area and gives a positive impression of an area with its own local vibe and proactive local traders and organisations.

[leenewham]

I know that I’ve taken a vow not to be critical but you sound over excitable?

Jill should have become the bunting hub?

No. I didn't suggest that. One of the most successful POP-UP companies, who we worked with in North London do it. They are called Meanwhile Space. It's their idea. They say it works and it's good community engagement. I think it's a good one. Do you have another suggestion or ANYTHING to offer in any way whatsoever?

Why did I know that you’d have designed bunting before?

I don't know, perhaps you know the people who briefed us to design it? They have worked for many of the large stores down Oxford Street etc. They do lots of work on high street regeneration. The events we did the branding for were a great success (it was a great effort by the many people involved) and it's been expanded and adopted for other events. Do you have another suggestion or ANYTHING to offer in any way whatsoever?

A Punch and Judy show?

Yes, why not (or another puppet show or something for families and kids. We went to Brighton recently and there was one. It had lots of people watching it. My son loved it. We went to a performance with puppets with the Arts Festival last year which was great. My son loved it, as did all the kids there.
Do you have another suggestion or ANYTHING to offer in any way whatsoever?

Why can’t I just pop to the shops or to the market quietly without becoming self-conscious, reluctantly find my recorder and play ‘Three Blind Mice’ en route? (I didn’t learn the piano).

You are welcome to Joanne. Is this your positive contribution to making Sydenham better? I'm all for trying it if you really think this will make a difference. Do you have any other suggestions? All are welcome.

Forcing anything never works

Not sure what you mean by that. What do you mean by 'forcing'?