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Bracknell's market traders fear the town centre regen could force them outside
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Bracknell market traders regeneration fears

By Becky Barnes
March 07, 2013

Traders claim they are being left in the dark over the future of Bracknell Market amid fears the regeneration will force them outside.

Stallholders based at bottom of the former 3M building in Market Place, are worried the indoor market may disappear after the town centre revamp.

One trader, who wished to be referred to as Joe, said if the market was moved outdoors many stallholders would not be able to trade.

Bracknell regeneration to start in the summer

He said: “The market is an invaluable part of Bracknell. The variety of stalls there cannot be found in the area.

“Many of the customers come to us because of the time we can afford to them.”

"3M building" plans thrown out

Marion Groom, of Groom’s Plants and Gifts, added: “One thing that is being overlooked is the community the market serves, we have time to chat to our customers.

“One lady told me I was the only person she had spoken to all week.

“I would like to see an indoor market where there are facilities for permanent traders and smaller, cheaper stalls for floating and start-up traders.”

Marion added that many stallholders feel they are not being kept up-to-date by councillors.

She said: “We only learn from the papers and our customers and all we have been told is that Councillor Marc Brunel-Walker is committed to a market.

“We need people to know it is open, but it feels like the council are hoping we will all give up and go away quietly.

“It’s a vicious circle as we have no footfall so people are not making the rent and are going.

“We are at the bottom of a derelict building and if the footfall does not come in here then we will have to go.”

Council committed to town market

Cllr Brunel-Walker last month quashed rumours the future of the market was under threat when he called on people in Bracknell to tell him what they want for the market.

Comer Homes is working on plans to transform Winchester House, better known as the former 3M building, into 311 apartments in a project the company hopes will run alongside the town centre regeneration.

Winchester House developers 'totally committed' to revamp project

A paperwork error led to the initial application being refused, but the company said last month it was committed to redeveloping the site.

Steven Caplan, chief officer for property at Bracknell Forest Council, said: “The council and Comer Homes continue to have discussions on the future of Winchester House as momentum is gained on the retail development.

“Although it is hoped the redevelopment of Winchester House will be brought forward as soon as possible, discussions are still in the early days.

“Plans for the future of the market will be informed by these discussions and, as we have previously informed traders, the council has no intention of displacing the market until there is certainty over the redevelopment of Winchester House.

“Once more information is available we will of course consult with the stallholders.”

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A very good point timespassing - one hopes that our esteemed member for Crown Wood is reading, with his Executive Member for Economic Development and Regeneration hat on.

Winstanley, Bracknell
07/03/2013 at 23:19

I don't think anyone wakes up one morning and decides they are going to commit to leasing a town centre shop for 12 months at an inclusive rent and rates circa £50,000 to see if their idea for a shop floats. The more sensible person will invest in a limited amount of stock and try out their idea on a market. If it works and custom builds and stock turnover justifies it then they will take that next step into a proper retail unit. But as they have built their custom up in a particular town it would be stupid to move to another town away from that customer base.

Take away the market from Bracknell and you lose not only the traders that are there but also the nursery slope for the towns shopkeepers of tomorrow. M&S started on a market stall in Leeds and it was no coincidence that is where they opened their first shop.

timespassing
07/03/2013 at 21:57

Any business, even market traders, need certainty. They need it in order to plan the business and to make decisions about the future of that business. How can a business plan for the future if they don’t know if there even is a future?

When a business decides to invest some of the profits back into that business to expand or diversify, they need to know that the business can still be there tomorrow and the day after. It appears to me, from what I have read on this site, that the traders have been treated rather badly by their landlords.

The traders we have in Bracknell market are keen and provide good products and services: I love the choice of fruit, veg, fish, meat and other products that are on offer. I enjoy sitting in the café with a cup of tea and doing a bit of people watching: there are many colourful characters around the market. The café is great, especially the specials menu: how they do the food on it for the price they charge is beyond me! I am sure the owners would love to expand their range and facilities but, how can they without knowing whether they will have premises or not in the short term let alone the long term. If I ran the café, or a similar unit in the “New Market” I would offer a “Market Menu” where the dishes were made from ingredients sourced from the market and I would give away recipe cards for those dishes. Perhaps the other traders would offer discounts on the ingredients if the recipe card listed the stall that sold the item….Just a thought.

Tonk, Wokingham
07/03/2013 at 19:59

The baker at Wokingham Market is indeed superb but, he is only there on Fridays.

Wokingham market is at the heart of the town centre which helps, Bracknell's is tucked away in an ugly, run down part of the town, this came about as Bracknell was developed in the past. The shops in the town centre proper, have over the years moved towards the current bus station and away from the High Street and Broadway, which always used to be the principle shopping areas of the town.

The market needs to be central within the new town centre. Attract the traders and they will attract the punters, attract the punter and they will attract the traders which would be a win win situation. If the powers to be and decision makers are truly serious about a market for Bracknell's new town centre, then they need to set in place plans and policies to facilitate the establishment of a top class market. As stated below, a really good market can make a town centre a real destination. Look at the number of people that go each week to Blackbushe which is out in the middle of nowhere. Themed markets attract footfall for example, food, French, German, farmers, crafts and antiques etc on set days would draw crowds in.

Tonk, Wokingham
07/03/2013 at 19:40

So what type of market would I like to see in Bracknell post regeneration? Personally, it would make little difference to me whether it was inside or outside but, I feel I would prefer something like the covered market in Oxford.

A Market Hall would be ideal with a few small lock-up shop units around the outside so that, those that need a more permanent pitch, perhaps due to enviromental health reasons, could trade. I moved down to Bracknell in 1968, although for the last twnety I have lived in Wokingham, from East London where we had many street markets. My local market was called Queen's Road market and is located two hunded yards from West Ham FC's ground. Just after I moved to Bracknell, the street market moved into a similar situation Bracknell's market have now: in the basement of a tall building. The market is always busy and one can buy anything from a yam to a length of silk for dressmaking. There are small lock-up units around the edge including a pie and mash shop. The market attracts people into the area and, I suspect, the traders make a good living. Would a similar model work in Bracknell? I always thought a roof on Charle's Square would create a great Market space: what say you?

Tonk, Wokingham
07/03/2013 at 19:15

Nobody is saying the market is a marvellous place as it’s been allowed to go to rack and ruin. It’s seldom advertised other than in the Standard and that’s generally down to us traders making waves. It may not be a pleasant place in the cold but it’s our home. Its home to 16 stalls who mostly sell things you literally can’t get in the town itself. We are reliant on those who lease and manage the place and if they don’t help us then we have no voice. The Standard have been our lifeline and have bent over backwards to help us where others can’t be bothered. If we had more foot-fall, more stalls would come. If we had more stalls then more people would come. It’s a catch 22. Anyone can take a stall for the day or for the 2 days but how many of you know that? I try my best to get us known but at times, I feel I am banging my head against a brick wall. If the people of Bracknell could just wake up and realise that if they were to make loud noises then perhaps we would get a nice indoor market with a nice ambiance. However, it’s easier to moan and say good riddance to a place that is home to many and serves some of the community so well. It’s your market so YOU fight for it like we are trying to do.

HK, bracknell
07/03/2013 at 17:28

1. Fruit and Veg 2. Plants and Gifts 3. Smoking related products 4. Eggs and cake decorating 5. Cafe 6. Magazines 7. Fish 8. Material 9. Gold 10. Mobility 11. Mobile Phone 12. Meat 13. Haberdashery 14. Pet food 15. Batteries That’s who we have there right now and most have been there for as long as I have (2 years) and we now have the Biltong man (dried South African Meat)

HK, bracknell
07/03/2013 at 17:15

PoneRana - I agree - Wokingham's Market is excellent and has a bigger variety of stalls and offerings ... none of them are permanent and all are outdoor. Last time I was there, in addition to the Cafe that’s run in the Town Hall there was a "man in a van" offering catering. That’s the sort of thing that Bracknell needs - Flexible market, offering a wide variety of different stalls ... last time I went to Bracknell I think there were 6. In Wokingham I love the bakers, love the different food on offer and they an outdoor greengrocer, outdoor plant stall etc

So where does the priority sit? do I want Marc Brunel-Walker and his Officers focusing a huge amount of time on the Bracknell Indoor Market .... or on making sure that [Finally!!!] the Regeneration of the Town Centre actually happens! hmmm let me think about that for a second. I think it’s really funny and refreshing that he stated that he doesn’t use the market ... rather like the rest of Bracknell Forest ..... Would you expect him to lie and say "yes I use it all the time - marvellous place" ....

It’s ironic - I drive past the Market every Saturday on my way to Wokingham Market

Can the market identify a site for a new building .... or a an existing empty shop that could be used? you are quick to moan but you don’t seem to have any ideas how to help?

And forget Dr Doo-Little .... utter waste of space!

Tom Edwards, Priestwood, Bracknell
07/03/2013 at 16:59

A fair point Megaman - but to put it another way, and I have the luxury of saying this because it'll never happen - if I was MP for Bracknell I would have a solid full-time focus on emerging local issues and task my researchers with being aware of what the constituents regard as being the focus.

There never seems to be an emphasis on cooperation, consensus. It's all about appealing to a core vote - so the Tories in Bracknell only worry about Tory voters. However, double the number of constituents didn't vote for him - politically he only represents one in three voters.

Maybe he doesn't want to look like he's sticking his nose in to everything - but he's keen to cite 'overwhelming support' when it suits him.

How about some proactive overwhelming support when we need it?

Winstanley, Bracknell
07/03/2013 at 16:02

Indeed I have contacted Mr Lee re the market and he palmed me off onto Cllr Michael Gbadebo. Alas, I have not had much contact from him either, despite him showing much enthusiasm on the subject. The last time I had a call from MBW, he told me he doesn’t use the market as it doesn’t have anything he wants. So I can only take that as meaning he and his family don’t eat vegetables, meat or fish. I have had an email from MBW as I have upset him when saying about them not looking into the market until the regeneration is complete. Here is the line he sent me and I quote - “Let me re-assure you I am totally committed to a Market in Bracknell when the regeneration is complete.” This is pasted from his email. Can anyone please tell me where I have read this incorrectly? Yes he has called me but I prefer to do things via email because that way, anything that is said is down in black and white and I then don’t have to rely on my memory or anyone else’s for recalling information. An email just in is now saying “I have NEVER said that we won’t start planning until after the regeneration of the town is complete.” So we are now down to nit picking over how things are written. If Comer put plans in tomorrow and we are given 6 months to vacate then I have asked the question “What are your plans at this moment in time?” This is ALL we want to know Mr MBW, not that there are plans or you’re thinking of plans. We want to be involved that’s all. Come down and see us all MBW, show your face rather than hiding behind a telephone. When Graeme Mountford was in charge, he made the effort every week or 2 to come down and touch base with us all. Do you know anyone at the market other than me? As Tonk says, the market should be part of the regeneration, not as a bolt on extra.

HK, bracknell
07/03/2013 at 15:49

My point is, and this is a genuine question.

Does the MP involve himself in something even though he hasn't been asked?

I suppose he could ask if they need help.

Megaman
07/03/2013 at 15:28

You only have to look at the number of people at the farmers market in Wokingham today to realize the value of a market to a town. Even in the rain many stalls had queues of people waiting to be served.

PoneRana, Wokingham
07/03/2013 at 13:49

Also worth pointing out that Lee's responsibility is to be represent this constituency. He's there for US. He's our servant.

He should have his finger on the pulse in this town not just his private patients.

I have no idea whether individual traders have reached out to him - but frankly it's his job, and the job of his handsomely paid researchers, to be aware of such issues and to act.

Winstanley, Bracknell
07/03/2013 at 12:46

Megaman - that argument goes both ways.

I'm in regular contact with Lee on Twitter and he all but ignores topics put to him unless there is a personal benefit to him deigning to do so.

Also, given we see him in this paper whenever he's promoting himself and whatever local issue he fancies putting his name to - we've had his firework lobbying, his visiting data centres, pulling pints, banging on about saving pubs, a museum of Bracknell life, fantasy hospitals, moaning about pay - but no campaigning to support local market traders.

Show me the evidence where he HAS supported it.

Marc Brunel-Walker has already responded to an earlier, direct enquiry posed by me.

Lee? The tumbleweed blows across the ether.

Winstanley, Bracknell
07/03/2013 at 12:41

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