Brown to open Londons first farmers market
20 May 1999
Brown to open London’s first farmers’ market
By Johann Tasker
AGRICULTURE minister Nick Brown will open Londons first farmers market, to be held in Islington early next month, it was confirmed today.
About 20 farmers will sell farm produce, including fresh meat, organic vegetables, and locally-grown fruit from stalls in Islingtons Camden Passage on Sunday 6 June.
The market is being organised by Nina Planck, a US farmers daughter from Virginia who is currently an adviser to the US Ambassador, Philip Lader, in London.
Ms Planck, who now lives near the Islington market site, said all the farmers selling food would come from farms within a 100-mile radius of London.
The market will help farmers by enabling them to sell their goods direct to consumers without having to sell to retailers, she told Farmers Weekly.
“From the shoppers point of view, it is scandalous that producer prices are falling and consumer prices dont fall,” Ms Planck said.
Farmers markets, where producers themselves bring their produce for sale direct to the public, started in the USA and are becoming increasingly popular here.
The Soil Association, which runs seminars on organising farmers markets, expects the number of UK sites to exceed 35 by the end of the year.
The first farmers market in this country was held at Bath after the Soil Association and local city council helped set up three pilot markets in autumn 1997.
Farmers with stalls at Bath have now formed an independent association and organise the market, which operates fortnightly.
Up to 30 farmers and food producers now sell locally grown and processed foods at Bath to approximately 3000 customers every month.
Elsewhere this week, the Duke of Northumberland announced plans to revive a traditional farmers market dating back to the 13th century.
The monthly market will be held on Fridays in Alnwick and, if successful, another farmers market could be launched in nearby Hexham.
Rory Wilson, agent for the Dukes Northumberland Estates, said the level of interest would be assessed at the first market, provisionally scheduled for 11 June.
“We felt that a market specifically for farmers was a way of helping them promote high-quality meat, eggs, cheese and other speciality products,” he said.
“We hope it will bring the farmer and the consumer together and create a mutually beneficial partnership.”
The duke has been looking at ways to stimulate Alnwicks historic marketplace, to which he holds the trading rights, for some time, said Mr Wilson.
Although the Dukes plans have not always gone down well with local traders, the towns chamber of trade sees no problem with the farmers market scheme.
“As long as farmers abide by the same rules and regulations that we retailers abide by, there shouldnt be any problem,” said local butcher and chamber chairman Jim Hunter.
“I think the more that happens in the marketplace, the better for Alnwick, because more people will be attracted to the town.”