Sydenham Farmer's Market...??

[benchef]

I definitely think so! I think we have the crowd that would love something like this along with some fantastic veg and great artisanal cheeses and breads from the French crew up the road. It would be a fantastic central showcase of what's available in the local vacinity plus some really funky and delicious hot food stalls. I think it would be a winner!

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[jac_h]

I think this is a really good idea. We drove past one in Forest Hill last Sunday and it seemed pretty busy. The only problem could be location. any ideas? Might work if it was somewhere near Billings to add to the independent shop vibe

[benchef]

Olives from Chislehurst... pancetta from Orpington... and (lest we forget) those divine tomatoes which grow only on the gentle, south-facing slopes of Bromley.

Hey smart arse. What about quince jelly from New Cross? Sour dough from Greenwich? Salt beef from hither green? Stick to what you're good at and go and agree with all your right wing cronies who are happy to let Sydenham sit where it is. Schmuck.

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[leenewham]

It is an excellent idea. Yes please.

[sfhyouthforum]

How about Mayow Park? Telegraph Hill Park in New Cross has a weekly famers market.

[Bazman76]

Mayow Park! That's a great idea!!!

[Rachael]

I think Mayow Park was suggested before but people thought it was too far from the high street.

There was a great food fair in Forest Hill last Sunday. It was particularly successful because it was in the forecourt of the train station, right on the South Circular and very visible from whatever direction you approach FH.

[leenewham]

It really needs to be on the high street to benefit traders. Mayow Park is too far away and not visible enough.

In other areas where it hasn't and even where it has, traders have been up in arms even getting petitions because they were opposed to it saying (for whatever reason) that a stall selling olives will take trade away from their shop selling fried chicken.

Forest Hill is rather more enlightened than many high streets, more and more as time goes on it seems.

The VAG Garage, at the last (rather lame) assembly someone stood up and proposed one opposite the car wash near Enterprise Rentacar, around the Greyhound (when it's finished), stuffed in the pocket squares, perhaps open up the now demolished blind factory and have a temporary one in there or station approach all seem logical places.

[Rachael]

What was great about the Forest Hill fair last week was that many of the local traders and cafes had free samples and special offers available, which were advertised at the food fair. So when people visited the fair and bought their tub of olives or whatever, they were given an incentive to pop into the shops too.

[norfsarf]

Reading the older bit of thread I thought the top of Venner Road was a good suggestion. It's not a huge area, but that may not be important in the early stages when a market is getting established and you just need five or six stalls with a range of produce to get people interested. It could always move somewhere bigger (and more obscure) later. Station Approach could also work well, and has the safety advantage of being a bit more contained from the main road.

Not sure what this would mean for parking/unloading in those areas though. One would have to take care not to get off on the wrong foot with any shops that use the spaces.

[Bazman76]

That area is really small?

Not sure you are going to have that much passing trade anyway (on a sunday morning?)

Surely its better to have a bigger market that will cater to more tastes?

[D.C.]

A Farmer's Market would be great in Sydenham. There are some lessons to be learnt from markets within the Brockley New Cross area:

There is a small, overpriced French farmer's market on Telegraph Hill in New Cross which lacks any atmosphere. Needless to say this isn't great, despite being run in a lovely little park. I think it's failure is due to the fact it's on once a month and has a very small selection of stalls.

The Brockley Market is fantastic. It has a great selection of stall (some of which I think went to FH last Sunday),the branding, twitter account and website http://www.brockleymarket.com/ is a little ott, but it all works well and regularly pulls in the punters. It takes place in Lewisham College car park, which is not far from a main road (A2) - but once packed it looks great.

The High St plans include 3 spaces for market stalls: http://www.lewisham.gov.uk/SiteCollecti ... posals.pdf
They note that there is 'space' for market stalls, so it doesn't sound like there are any plans. And it will be a real shame if they don't fill these spaces. Surely it makes a lot of sense to try and work them?

[DFOODS.ORG]

I'm an artisan producer of fine foods and would really get involved in getting a market going in Sydenham.
Check my website for contact details: Dbfoods.org

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[sisterofwookie]

We up in Kirkdale have earmarked the wide pavements outside Costcutters for a market and would be very interested in talking to you about it.

PM and let me know.