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Newbury Today Forum _ Newbury News _ Newbury's (Down)Market
Posted by: Blake Mar 19 2010, 02:10 PM
Has anyone noticed how shabby and awful a lot of the market stalls are now?
There was a time when it sold a much greater variety of things. Now, a lot of it is even more downmarket that the stuff in Poundland and there is virtually nothing, other than food, any sane person would want.
Why has the market got so far downmarket and awful?
Posted by: Iommi Mar 19 2010, 02:21 PM
I have never regarded the market as anything other than a place for cheap stuff. Whether in price or quality. And this thought goes way back to when I was young.
Posted by: Ron Mar 19 2010, 03:35 PM
On the rare occassions that I go into Newbury I went through the market yesterday for the first time for a very long time, I was very suprised how small it now is compared to when I first came to Newbury some 50 years ago.
Ron
Posted by: misc Mar 19 2010, 03:46 PM
Agreed. Some reasonable-ish fresh fruit and veg, and as Blake says a whole lot of crap that no sane person would want.
There did used to be a good stall that sold CDs and tapes, back in the mid '90s...
Posted by: David Allen Mar 19 2010, 05:41 PM
There did used to be a good stall that sold CDs and tapes, back in the mid '90s...
Are you actually talking about Newbury market? Take a walk round tomorrow and notice the row of stalls selling olives, free range eggs, spices, cheeses and fresh fish!
And while you're there, notice the stalls selling books, diy products, flowers, plants, fresh meat, mobile phone spares, watch batteries, clothes, bread, bags, freshly milled flour * . . . and very good fruit and veg. For a small market it's a pretty good range, especially in these straightened times.
With respect, comments about a 'whole lot of crap' are pretty offensive to the stall-holders who work hard to keep the market going. And offensive to the general public who regularly visit the market. One or two look decidedly odd to me, but on the whole, are mostly sane.
* Apologies if I've missed anyone off.
Posted by: Iommi Mar 19 2010, 05:53 PM
My fave is the cheese man!
Posted by: David Allen Mar 19 2010, 06:03 PM
No, no, I meant the general public look mostly sane, not the stallholders!
Posted by: ossy1 Mar 19 2010, 06:16 PM
The veg and fruit I by from the market stays fresher for longer than the rubbish I buy in the supermarket, tastes better too.
Free range eggs from a local farm.
Whats so crap about that????
Posted by: spartacus Mar 19 2010, 06:31 PM
Yep.. the bloke wot sells cheeses is pretty much the only reason I go to the market.... spicy cheese with chilli or pepper you cant get at the supermarkets...
Some of the other stalls are bordering on true Flea Market territory...
Posted by: Iommi Mar 19 2010, 07:22 PM
Yes, Spitfire or a derivative!
Posted by: Biker1 Mar 20 2010, 11:29 AM
* Apologies if I've missed anyone off.
Are you sure they are Free Range eggs?
Posted by: user23 Mar 20 2010, 11:50 AM
Like the majority of posters here, I like the variety of stalls on the market.
Does anyone know if they're different from Thursday to Saturday?
Posted by: Biker1 Mar 20 2010, 12:35 PM
Just checked and they are sold as either "free range" or "barn" eggs.
I only asked because the gentleman who sold eggs on the market previously, and who sadly passed away, sold battery eggs.
I know because I asked him (and promptly refused to buy)!
Posted by: On the edge Mar 20 2010, 12:39 PM
Does anyone know if they're different from Thursday to Saturday?
Yes, some are. I quite like sneaking some time off Thursday's for that very reason. There is a chap who sells old and new fishing stuff with other odd bits. I bought a good quality second hand bike from him - at £40, cheaper than E.bay. Saturday has the old lady and the bread stall. Crusty rolls, traditional style butter icing doughnuts plus a great sweets and cake selection. Stuff supermarkets don't stock. Can you see why I needed the bike! Apart from Griffins, who are a great pork butcher - the market seems to only place to get fresh meat.
Posted by: Biker1 Mar 20 2010, 12:47 PM
The chap who changes the watch batteries is very good.
He charges about a quarter of jeweller's prices or even less.
Posted by: HJD Mar 20 2010, 04:13 PM
Does anyone know what became of the chap that used to have a stall on Thursdays that sold Jeans. He used to sell Wranglers for £20, much cheaper than Debenhams. 
Also, if anyone is ever in the Thame (Oxfordshire) area on Tuesdays you will see a thriving Market in the High St. which always seems well supported. 
Posted by: Jayjay Mar 20 2010, 07:00 PM
Love the market eggs, far tastier than any supermarket. The veg lasts longer and tastes better too. Do wish the market would move to Northbrook Street, it was really bustling there while the market place was being paved.
Posted by: On the edge Mar 20 2010, 08:15 PM
The stall that does plants and bird food is pretty good too. Found him by accident; after 'Mrs OTEs' birthday gift - a bay tree shrub from the garden centre died. He had some going for a couple of quid each - hard to resist. Anyway, two years later they are going strong - down side is Mrs OTE spening a fortune on food for birds! Still, suppose thats cheaper than a dog.
Posted by: David Allen Mar 20 2010, 08:57 PM
So, is it fair to say, that rather than a 'crap' market, it is, after all, not bad?
And yes, the eggs are free range, the cheeses are good, and the watch battery man does fit a new battery for much less than high-street prices.
Overall, sounds like a good market to me.
Posted by: x2lls Mar 21 2010, 10:38 AM
And yes, the eggs are free range, the cheeses are good, and the watch battery man does fit a new battery for much less than high-street prices.
Overall, sounds like a good market to me.
Well said, and not to forget the efforts that Steve the burger man puts in. It's nice to have a sit down and watch the world go by with a decent coffee and good quality snacks!!
Posted by: DrPepper Mar 21 2010, 05:59 PM
"With respect, comments about a 'whole lot of crap' are pretty offensive to the stall-holders who work hard to keep the market going. And offensive to the general public who regularly visit the market. One or two look decidedly odd to me, but on the whole, are mostly sane."
I think you will find that the stall holders are not there as a favour to the public, but to make money. When they don't make money they will move elsewhere. And on top of that they get to trade for a very low ground rent on one day a week whereas the retailers have to pay rent and rates every day of the week and can't cherry pick where they trade depending on the current trends. Don't feel sorry for these leeches!
Posted by: user23 Mar 21 2010, 06:09 PM
I think you will find that the stall holders are not there as a favour to the public, but to make money. When they don't make money they will move elsewhere. And on top of that they get to trade for a very low ground rent on one day a week whereas the retailers have to pay rent and rates every day of the week and can't cherry pick where they trade depending on the current trends. Don't feel sorry for these leeches!
The truth is all traders aren't there as a favour to the public, they're there to make money out of the people of Newbury and they all have the option to move if they wish so to single out a certain set of them as parasites seems a bit strange.
Posted by: Iommi Mar 21 2010, 08:32 PM
I don't know anyone who thinks Newbury 'should be a sleepy market town''
Bloody heck...I agree!
Posted by: Bartholomew Mar 21 2010, 08:53 PM
A very curious view on retail. The truth is that without the public buying from them they won't stay in business. So in that respect your logic is backwards. It seems that rather than the public moving, retail will do so if they aren't making money. Far from being "parasites" traders and retailers have to provide a service that the public want.
It seems to me that the councils are more appropriate to your views. They are "parasites" that don't have the value of competition to make them more aligned to the publics needs.
Posted by: Strafin Mar 21 2010, 09:12 PM
I know loads!
Posted by: user23 Mar 21 2010, 10:15 PM
It seems to me that the councils are more appropriate to your views. They are "parasites" that don't have the value of competition to make them more aligned to the publics needs.
I didn't call traders parasites I said it was strange to single one group of traders (market stall holders) as parasites seeing as generally they all operate under the same market (pun intended) forces.
You however have called councils parasites which seems a little strange, given they're there to protect the public from unscrupulous traders. Councils and governments DO have the "value of competition" as we'll find out in the run up to 6th May when there will be many people competing to represent Newbury in Parliament.
Posted by: Iommi Mar 22 2010, 09:03 AM
I know some that don't like Newbury growing into a significant retail centre rather like Basingstoke or Reading, but that doesn't mean they think Newbury should be a sleepy (I think this is something user23 invented) Market Town. Indeed, if we were to believe the spin from the Newbury and West Berkshire Councils, Newbury is, and always was, a bustling Market Town! So someone must be telling porkies!
Posted by: Jayjay Mar 22 2010, 10:31 AM
Have you read this site?
Posted by: Iommi Mar 22 2010, 10:36 AM
More than most, and this line (as detailed in my previous post) is still not something I recognise, or believe to be true.
Posted by: misc Mar 22 2010, 01:28 PM
I had a proper look at the market on Saturday and can now agree that the cheese seller has some good products. Aside from that, market offered nothing to entice me.
Whoever said that the market's fuit and veg lasts longer than that sold by the supermarket, is clearly shopping at the wrong supermarket.
Posted by: Strafin Mar 22 2010, 04:43 PM
Veg from Asda seems to last forever - I don't think I've ever thrown anything away from there!
Posted by: Strafin Mar 22 2010, 04:44 PM
I love the meat from the Market as well, and it is significantly cheaper than the supermarkets.
Posted by: ossy1 Mar 22 2010, 05:05 PM
Whoever said that the market's fuit and veg lasts longer than that sold by the supermarket, is clearly shopping at the wrong supermarket.
I said it and I shop at them all!
Posted by: Bill1 Mar 22 2010, 05:35 PM
Is the stall selling bootleg CDs and tapes of gigs still there on Saturdays? 
Posted by: JeffG Mar 22 2010, 06:59 PM
Well, I don't know where you live, but I'm guessing the Newbury area, and the nearest Asda as far as I know is in Reading.
Posted by: Strafin Mar 22 2010, 09:04 PM
We go to the one in Andover, but I don't know if that's any closer.
Posted by: spartacus Mar 22 2010, 10:37 PM
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