Why the Net has the advantage in the ‘Undies world’
- Shopping blogger Emma Iannarilli
Market deserted as traders stay away
Saturday 6th February 2010, 11:30AM GMT.
A crisis at a West Midland market deepened today as just two stallholders turned up. Last week, there was a complete no-show at the once-busy site.
Council chiefs had said they would battle to keep Brownhills Market in Silver Street going.
But the Tuesday market has already been stopped because of a lack of interest and bargain hunters were left disappointed last Saturday after not a single trader turned up.
Mohammed Sajid was one of only two stallholders at the site today.
The 35-year-old who lives in Nansen Road, Sparkhill, and also runs a pitch at the Sunday market at Walsall’s Bescot Stadium, said he is struggling to support his wife and five children who are aged between six months and 13 years. Mr Sajid, who has run his computer equipment stall for 10 years, said: “It is really depressing there’s nothing here at all, there’s just no customers. I arrived at 6am. I will stay here until 2pm, but I doubt I will make much money. I’m struggling to support my family, I think I will have to look for another market.”
In its heyday the market, which has been running since 1972, would attract thousands every week.
Walsall Council’s regeneration chief, councillor Adrian Andrew has vowed the market will continue, and plans are afoot to move it to the more prominent High Street. He has said: “We are not giving up on Brownhills.”
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Only a couple of years ago the market would have been heaving on a Saturday.
So what changed? Markets tend to have bargains so not sure the credit crunch will have driven customers and stallholders away.
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Because people are fed up of cheap fakes and dodgy DVD’s. Most bargain stuff can be got from shops like Poundland. electrical stuff can be got from discount electrical stores and everything else can be gotten cheaper on the internet.
The only market I’ve been to in the last 10 years is Walsall and that’s just to get to Asda at the top of the hill.
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I drove all the way from Wolverhampton to the market on a Tuesday and it wasn’t even on, how annoying! I would hate to go on a Sat and its still not on! I love Brownhills market but my petrol bill will be huge!
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there are no bargains to be had today in markets some are dearer than high street shops with little or no gaurantee the days of the markets are gone with one exception that i know of thats bilston market reasonable prices friendly stallholders take a trip there and find out for yourself
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i to run a market here in spain its as bad here as there i come from the midlands been in spain 6 years good luck all you traders
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markets have had there day !!!!!!!!!
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SOME markets have had their day but not all by any means. Markets, like all independant retail operations have to change the way they operate as the shopping habits of people have changed. Many have and are still busy. A common complaint is that supermarkets now sell everything under one roof and are cheaper. That may be so, but markets also provide a different type of shopping experience. It’s not for everyone, but many people still enjoy the hustle and bustle of a busy market and the chance of a bargain.
If we, as shoppers, don’t support our markets then we will only have ourselves to blame when the go the same way as local corner shops, local pubs, local sub-post offices etc etc. Use it or lose it.
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Here in the South West of Ontario the “Farmers Market” is almost as old as the Province and is still going strong albeit it too has had to adapt to changing shopping habits! … but if you want a community atmosphere and Amish Mennonite Produce quality and Cottage Industry Goods then buy an Airline Ticket and come and give us a Gander! …….
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I wonder just how much of the blame for this sad state of affairs is down to our council. The Market which for so long thrived has gone as have the Fake DVD’s which attracted the hundreds of people to Brownhills every Saturday. The Police and Trading Standards, whilst protecting Big Business, Who we are led to believe are losing millions to the Crooks. I fail to see this myself as in the 3/4 months which drove the fakers away, I have not purchased a single video or music CD of anysort. Why? well they are overpriced and make money for people who are already millionaires! Meanwhile councillors complain that they have put money into revamping and making The Market better for all. What they have really done is closed it! put people out of work! and turned Brownhills into a GHOST TOWN! You have to have a Black economy running alongside the normal conventions of life for life to exist at an affordable cost for most people. You would think that the general public are morons, idiots and all the other names that get given. If you think that we don’t know just what we are buying! We know when we buy a Fake that it’s a fake. Do we really care? No because for most of us that is all nwe can afford. So What if it has a fake Nike insignia. It stops your child being picked on at school! So at the end of the day. Wheres the harm? Certainly for the majority of us Theres none! But to protect BIG BUSINESS the little man has to go to the wall! Sorry but that’s life! We elect the council, we give them the right to run our lives, to give the jobs worths the right to say thats to cheap and it’s not good for you! Spend a little more, even if you can’t afford it. You will keep us in a job! You like the stallholders may go to the wall, but we will still have our job’s protecting the public!
I don’t or never have sold Fakes, i have bought fakes from Brownhills. However i also used to buy my meat and veg and other things from both the market and the shops. But i suspect that not only is the market suffering but the shops are as well!
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big supermarkets and retail parks have raised the standard in shopping thats the problem leaving most town centres and markets struggling unfortonatly we live in a brand age and thats a BIG problem to most small medium size business So if markets and shops are to survive they have to raise there game too! but markets are going to fnd it alot harder to survive because what they sell in general and i fear the old market will soon be exstict and i fear brownhills market will be part of that process , indoor markets are the only way forward
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have you seen the prices in the new indoor market in the old woolies in dudley steve hardly a bargain there
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Yeah i agree with you phil i have said already that i will give it 12 months before storholders leave
Sad really But wooolies going out of business has been a big blow to the high st in general
Recently in my town of Dudley beatties has closed but most people miss woolies more
Friends of dudley town centre
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WHO would want to go to a market these days? if you want cheap trash you just type ebay! if you want something of quality you visit an online store. Why does the council bother wasting money on this daft idea. The days of wanting ski jumpers, stretch Jeans, and pilot jackets are LONG GONE!
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IVE LIVED AND HAVE GROWN UP HERE IN BROWNHILLS ALL MYLIFE AND IT HURTS ME TO SEE HOW THIS TOWN AS BECOME A GHOST TOWN AND THE SAME GOES FOR THE MARKET SOMETHING SOULD BE DONE TO MAKE IT A GREAT PLACE TO VISIT AGAIN.BUT INSTEAD THEY SPEND MONEY IN OTHER TOWNS TO MAKE THEM BETTER BUT WHAT ABOUT BROWNHILLS THE COUNCIL ALSO WANTS TO GET OFF THERE BACKSIDES AND DO SOMETHING BEFORE THERE AINT A TOWN LEFT TO VISIT OR WORTH VISTING.BRING BACK THE GOOD OLD DAYS OF BROWNHILLS.
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