Brixton Market going all posh on Sundays

[tarannau]

Four squid for a loaf? I'm all for valuing food properly, but that's surely extracting the michael.

Rushed past the little strip of stalls there myself briefly on the way to the tube. Pleasant enough, but a little underwhelming. On the plus side there was decent footfall and gratifyingly one of the Saturday traders seemed to be in place, selling the normal fruit and veg selection. And Grant from El Panzon had taken up prime position on the corner, selling Mexican street food and some good, fiery dips - only really realised the habanero kick when I got on the tube and sat down.

Fairly promising though. I'll try and remember to take a proper trip down next weekend and have a proper look around.

 

[binrak]

I am going to try it again tomorrow and see whats going on. We coudl do with a bit of variety down the market, but not at the expense of the existing stalls. I have a feeling its all going to give up for lack of interest by Jan

 

[Gramsci]

And the middle ground is evaporating - it almost certainly benefits farmers/suppliers to aim for the bargain or premium sectors. It's one of the reason why I have some sympathy for Newbie's view that a split between farmers' markets and 'normal' ones isn't beneficial

Yes I agree but at the moment its business.This kind of market is at Exmouth market as well in the run up to Xmas.Certainly the small shopping area Exmouth st and market has been "gentrified".Ive seen it over the last few years as Clerkenwell has changed from small artisan workshops(watchmakers etc) to loft apartments and eateries.Exmouth st and market have gone the same way.For example the old Butchers shop is an "eaterie".The Market is trying the "Farmers market" model.

Farmers markets seem to becoming the Premium end of food retail.This is understandable given the competition from Supermarkets.I come from Devon and saw a farmer from Devon at Exmouth market and at Spitalfileds.He said the choice was going under or be a high quality premium meat producer who only sells to individuals and high class restaurents.He does not sell to Tescos.His meat is expensive but of a high quality and made respecting the environment.

 

[Gramsci]

I can agree with some of Newbies points.I think the is theres going to be a division between us plebs who get the crap food and nice well heeled Green people who can feel good buying from upmarket Farmers Markets.

At Versaille didnt Marie Antoniette have a pretty little farm .Seems to me the Farmers Markets provide a clean up nostalgic imitation of what "real" markets are for Cameron style Greens.

 

[Ol Nick]

I can agree with some of Newbies points.I think the is theres going to be a division between us plebs who get the crap food and nice well heeled Green people who can feel good buying from upmarket Farmers Markets.

Food cost as a percentage of average income has fallen 20% in 10 years. If "plebs" don't eat properly it's because "plebs" value other things more. And that's the essence of the consumer society, isn't it? If you thought that looking after your body mattered then you'd do it.

 

[Gramsci]

The essence of the consumer society is that the have nots look on from the outside at things they cant afford.

 

[Mr Retro]

On Sunday my wife got 3 really good tasty pies, a loaf of bread, a huge chunk of choc brownie - all freshly baked. She also got a really good pack of bacon, not the usual watery shit, all for £9.50.

Thats as cheap, or cheaper than Tesco and the quality was ten times better.

 

[tarannau]

The chocolate brownies are pretty decent value aren't they. A big chunk of brownie with a high cpi* rating, so much so in fact that it took LQ more than one sitting to finish it. And that's a rare thing

That said, the bread was still overpriced and the market seemingly shrinking of 'posh' stalls a couple of weeks ago. The Old El Panzon people had gone, and there were a few gaps between the expensive "French things in cans' and bread concessions

In mitigation many of the Electric Ave and a few (Saturday) market traders had wheeled out their stalls, spotting an opportunity and making the stretch seem more populated. Maybe it's picked up again - I've not even noticed bacon or decent pies on sale on the few occasions I've been. That stall would be a huge bonus alone.



*Chocolate per square inch. How rich and chocolatey something tastes - ie my mum's chocolate pudding manages to compress and mould the equivalent of 4 big bars of Galaxy into one small, sinful golf ball sized desert....

 

[PacificOcean]

Yep, theyve been screwed over - there was an interview in one of the broadsheets a few months back with a guy whoed run a veg stall out off new covent garden all his life. CG/NCG used to get the best veg there was, but now the super markets pinch it all.

But I thought the reason everyone was anti-supermarket was that the fruit and veg was shite?

 

[toggle]

But I thought the reason everyone was anti-supermarket was that the fruit and veg was shite?

it is in general. Youi get one or 2 gems, but most is crap.

I think it probably has more to do with the way they treat it in many cases than it being bad food, their systems of storage and packaging. it looks lovelly when it's in the supermarket, but it's going limp or rotten the next day. Stuff I get elsewhere lasts a lot longer and it's not hidden in layers of excess packaging that makes it go bad faster. You can generally get food with a lot more flavour as well, rather than just varieties selected for uniform size and shape.