Markets in the Grassmarket
I didn’t get much chance to look at the market on Sunday but it had to be better than Saturday’s. The first problem with the Saturday markets held in August which I’m reliably informed are a “tradition” is that they are too big. We need people IN the Grassmarket and the stalls take up so much space there is very little space left for people so much so that it is a tight squeeze just to walk between the seating outside the cafes and restaurants and the first wave of junk stalls. The second problem is that most of the stalls are “a bit shit”. Now everybody seems to know this but nobody wants to offend the organisers. OK “a bit shit” isn’t tactful but others with more time to be tactful could explain it would need to get better just to come up to a car boot sale standard. Shops and cafes/restaurants in the Grassmarket pay a huge amount of rent and rates to be there and can not afford to have some of the best Saturdays of the year ruined in this way.
Which brings me to the next problem. Grassmarket traders pay to be there all year and then just when business is looking up competition sets up outside your door. Whether that be vintage clothing stalls outside Armstrongs, record stalls outside Avalanche, juice bars outside Hula or as Bill the owner of the joke shop was telling me even a board of jokes on a stall outside the joke shop. In better economic times it would be an annoyance but now it is taking away crucial business at a time when more and more it is the weekends when most of the takings are made.
None of these stalls bring people to the Grassmarket but instead rely on those who will already be there. Believe me I have looked extensively online and promotion of these markets and stalls is minimal. While the latest market was “last minute” in these days of instant social media even that isn’t too late to promote.
Of course something like a farmers market or arts market (not a craft fair) will if regular and well promoted bring people to the Grassmarket though even the latter might impinge on those already in the Grassmarket and I would understand if on balance others felt that affected their business. I did see on Sunday a big fruit (and veg ?) stall that looked great and I will certainly be supporting that this week. It is exactly the sort of stall that we need.
So if you see stalls in the Grassmarket remember that it is the shops that are there all year and support them wherever possible as a first choice. If you see that record you’ve been looking for or the perfect vintage dress on a stall then of course it is only sensible to buy it but if you need a glass of juice go to Hula and if you need a piece of plastic that looks like a dog shit go to the joke shop.
I am of course speaking for myself here and not directly on behalf of any other Grassmarket traders.
Dear Kevin,
This is a community event which benefits the local community – it is not run by the Council but by elderly residents – all the money raised goes to local old age pensioners – and provides then with a Christmas Party and one in the Summer – none of the money for the stalls goes to the Council and the organisers. I am sure that you will agree that a lot of the elderly residents who live in the Grassmarket also are here all year round – and I feel that it is nice that something is done to encourage community feeling … but perhaps you didnt know that – certainly none of the local businesses as far as I am aware contribute a bean to their parties or events for them! I also dont think that I notice any traders doing anything about the illegal cafes running down here with no planning permission – perhaps doing something about them might encourage people to visit the area – not that many shops left down there now as far as I can see. I am a Grassmarket trader and sell exactly the kind of things that were being sold on Saturday – and indeed I must say that takings wise it was one of the best days of the year – so no idea where you are coming out with things like having one of the best Saturdays of the year ruined – not from where I see it… so I do not that you are speaking for yourself. I could only see restaurants packed out, pubs heaving all up and down the street. Did you actually leave you shop to see this – and it certainly for me made a welcome change from seeing a bunch of pissed men dressed up in nurses uniforms shouting, smoking and pissing it up outside the Black Bull all day!
I did hear anyone grumbling about stalls being shoved up in the Jazz Festival.
Gosh! get a life – and let the residents who actually live here 24/7 and not just in shop opening hours – have their annual community fair without you wingeing about it – perhaps a couple of record vouchers might be in hand for the raffle at the pensioners Xmas party then from you since you are being so community orientated???
Hi Valerie
I certainly agree that it is good to raise money for the elderly residents but the market is unfortunately timed I expect deliberately from the market’s viewpoint to coincide with some of the busiest days of the year. I have certainly never been asked for a contribution and would always be happy to donate things for raffles and the like as I do for local schools. I was actually unaware of the illegal cafe but I do now know other traders complained and it was the council who seemed unprepared to do anything. I don’t know what you sell but I can only tell you what happened to my takings which is hardly surprising if people have limited funds to spend and one Saturday there were three traders selling records outside my door but without my overheads. Jos at Helios Fountain who has traded in the Grassmarket for over 30 years also had a dramatic drop in takings during the market so I was not alone.
I’m sure that the Grassmarket traders if asked would put together a great package for the elderly residents at Christmas and I would be more than happy to help with that.
Thank you for taking the time to comment
Kevin
Well – that makes two out of how many? I am sure all the people in Victoria Street, Candlemaker Road and the West Port would be quite unhappy if the annual community event was shut down with all the loss of foot fall and potential customers coming down that street? Not so say anything of the atmosphere of a vibrant Continental market – as you would find in Paris and Brussels!
As I mentioned the fair has been run for 30 years long before Cafe Jacques, the Black Bull, Petite Paris, Made in Italy, Maggie Dicksons, the Mussel Inn were even here – the premises were all shops, many of them antique shops and specialist retail units – long before this area became one big beer garden or run of illegal cafes selling all day fried breakfasts to stag and hen parties! That is the issue in trade and specialist shops down turn. I note that you say Helios Fountain has been there for 30 years – so obviously this three day market has not been a contributary factor in closing them down! This was also the first time in many, many years that there were three sunny Saturdays in August – and usually the market is much smaller due to rain cancelling play! I discovered that the best way to generate money for my own business was actually to take a stall outside and GET INVOLVED in the event. Since there is such a dramatic rise in foot fall during this time – I found that this was very, very beneficial to my business – and I was even able to send extra or new customers over to my shop – many of whom did not even know that we had been trading for seven years – nuff said! I have found myself after trading here for years myself that it actually the market that brings people and new customers down to the area!
People / tourists who had been in previously as customers came back to the area days later for the event and spent money in neighbouring shops – I saw them down there! I am sorry that you didnt contribute to the events – but this event certainly brings a lot of people down to the area – locals and tourists alike – but you should certainly be thinking of taking out a little stall next year and directing someone over to your shop – If you dont know what I sell – I am just over the road at Iconic Design – where I also sell vintage records. I can understand your concern about people selling similar products outside – but I have found that the best way to beat them was to join them – I certainly have never had such takings on all my years of trading… and the traders were selling products much nearer to my own stock all up and down the street. I did also notice that it was these kind of events that had been voted for by both businesses and residents in the recent BID application – I can send you copies of the results of their survey if you missed that..
Interested to hear your views of what would happen in those Saturdays each year in August…. a time when all those stag and hen parties would otherwise be pissing up against my shop wall as I experience every other weekend when there is not such a family audience down here, but rowdie groups hanging about the street getting blotto! Ask Anya why they moved out of the Grassmarket – because of all the drinking their customers would not come down … nothing else apart from drinking in our extended beer garden seems to happen down here anyway.. the little Council run market – is certainly a big flop and does not attract anyone to the area – sadly. The success of the fair over the last 30 years speaks for itself, I think.
Glad to hear that you are planning to contribute to the residents Christmas party… we certainly do every year! But knocking one of the areas more successful events which attracts thousands of people to the area – many of them families – is certainly not the way to transform a glorified beer garden into a family and customer orientated area.
Valerie