CHINGFORD: Farmers' market petition gathers momentum

A petition for a farmers market in Station Road, Chingford, has already gathered more than 900 signatures. Organiser Adam Osen is third from the right. A petition for a farmers market in Station Road, Chingford, has already gathered more than 900 signatures. Organiser Adam Osen is third from the right.

CAMPAIGNERS who want a farmers' market on their high street to boost business for struggling traders say the campaign is gathering momentum.

A petition calling for the market to come to Station Road, Chingford, has gathered more than 900 signatures in just over a month, and organiser Adam Osen, of Woodberry Way in Chingford, said he is confident they can hit the 4,000 mark necessary to trigger a full debate on the issue by Waltham Forest Council.

The 53-year-old added: "It's going fantastically well, I wouldn't be at all surprised if we made 4,000 if we put a bit more effort into it.

"Chingford would really benefit from a street market, but the nearest one's in Walthamstow. It would attract shoppers back to the area and would help create a stronger community, which would help struggling shops."

He said the market would discourage people from travelling to Walthamstow or Loughton to buy the fresh bread, meat, vegetables and other goods stocked by such markets, while the produce would not clash with that of the retailers along the road.

"We want to keep it local so we'd approach nearby farmers at first," he said. "But if that's not practical we would go with a company."

The co-owner of Station Road card and gift shop Needful Things, Debbie Carter, said it would help ensure that Chingford shoppers spent their cash in their own area.

"It would be so important to have the market here," she said. "It's very heartening to see people coming in and signing it the petition in the local shops. At the moment most people's money goes to shops in Loughton or elsewhere in our borough but this means we would benefit as well."

People can sign the petition in several shops along the high street, or can click here.

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Comments(13)

Sojourner says...
2:02pm Thu 21 Jun 12

A message to Adam Osen by way of a quote from Thomas Jefferson that says: 'Commerce with all nations, alliance with None' might be apposite.

A Farmers' market on the Green would be very appropriate to the history of Chingford.

AirForceOne says...
2:52pm Thu 21 Jun 12

No doubt the council will come up with some dubious reason as to why its not possible. H&S no doubt. Someone might not notice it an injure themselves. Or indeed someone might be sold a non-EU compliant cucumber!!
I wonder how mankind survived for 1000s of years without the EU and H&S?
Anyway, it gets my vote, so long as its genuine.

WaltE17 says...
3:44pm Thu 21 Jun 12

If shop owners think this is what the area needs they should look at the one in Walthamstow. Its a miserable affair that seems to be on its last legs.

tmann says...
3:56pm Thu 21 Jun 12

Sounds like a good idea to me although a shop that sells decent stationery would also be very welcome. I have to go to Rymans in Walthamstow just to get a good quality notepad! I expect masses of cheese and port at this market!!

dundee col says...
10:37pm Thu 21 Jun 12

If Walthamstow can't seem to readily support a weekly farmers market what makes Chingford think that they'll fare any better?

ShinySue says...
10:23am Fri 22 Jun 12

A farmer's market would be absolutely ideal for north chingford.

the reasons why, IMO that the farmer's market in W'Stow is struggling is firstly because the council doesnt do enough to promote and encourage it and secondly the demographics of the area do have to be considered. for the rest of the week, its cheap cheap cheap stuff down there, and thats what people expect now, plus they want the specific produce that they like.

The farmer's market is much more traditonal, more pricey so it needs to attract a different clientele. Which is difficult when its so tiny and the council is doing bugger all to support it.

It should be moved to north chingford, pronto!

Sam Hain says...
10:42pm Fri 22 Jun 12

And North Chingford should be moved (back) to Essex, ShinySue, and save us all a load of grief!

myopinioncounts says...
7:31am Sat 23 Jun 12

Why are goods from the so called Farmer's Market so expensive? If producers are selling direct to the public they should be able to make goods cheaper -or am I naive?

Techno3 says...
9:16am Sat 23 Jun 12

myopinioncounts wrote:
Why are goods from the so called Farmer's Market so expensive? If producers are selling direct to the public they should be able to make goods cheaper -or am I naive?
It is a very good question. I have never understood why the goods for sale in Walthamstow farmer's market are so expensive, compared not just with supermarkets but even the other market stalls on other days of the week. I think some of the 'farmers' are taking the micky.

AirForceOne says...
5:26pm Sat 23 Jun 12

Sam Hain wrote:
And North Chingford should be moved (back) to Essex, ShinySue, and save us all a load of grief!
I think you will find that everyone in North Chingford would love to go back to Essex. NC doesn't give you grief, it gives you money, lots of it. We don't even get proper xmas lights anymore.

AirForceOne says...
5:29pm Sat 23 Jun 12

dundee col wrote:
If Walthamstow can't seem to readily support a weekly farmers market what makes Chingford think that they'll fare any better?
a better class of people, perhaps?

WaltE17 says...
10:00pm Sat 23 Jun 12

AirForceOne wrote:
dundee col wrote:
If Walthamstow can't seem to readily support a weekly farmers market what makes Chingford think that they'll fare any better?
a better class of people, perhaps?
What, you mean cabbies, dodgy builders, pensioners and wannabe footballers wives?

Get out of your bubble mate because your precious Chingford isn't half as posh as you'd like to think it is.

AirForceOne says...
12:30am Sun 24 Jun 12

WaltE17 wrote:
AirForceOne wrote:
dundee col wrote:
If Walthamstow can't seem to readily support a weekly farmers market what makes Chingford think that they'll fare any better?
a better class of people, perhaps?
What, you mean cabbies, dodgy builders, pensioners and wannabe footballers wives?

Get out of your bubble mate because your precious Chingford isn't half as posh as you'd like to think it is.
Being a Woodford man the state of Chingford doesn't bother me. But its still a lot nicer than Walthamstow. Hence the reason Walthamstow people move up to Chingford. And if they can afford it, North Chingford.

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