Kings Norton Farmers’ Market saved

News came out of the blue for the organisers with the communication not coming directly from the council but from the top of the Highways department. Later that day it transpired that the notification was a mistake and that the road closure for the market was always to go ahead. 

  

Duncan Ross at Kings Norton Farmers market says “I am relieved. Come along to our next market, this Saturday 9th January and enjoy the fresh delights for sale.”
  
Kings Norton is a fun and vibrant community market, which has also won the Midlands Farmers’ Market of the Year twice, been listed in the Times Top 10 Farmers’ Markets and the Independent’s Top 50 Markets. This year the market has been short-listed for the National Farmers’ Market of the Year competition.

  

Campaigns Coordinator Mary Horesh from Birmingham Friends of the Earth said “In Birmingham we have a growing number of farmers markets which make a real difference to communities, it is great to hear that the Kings Norton market continues.”

And why should we support farmers markets? They offer fresh organic fruit and vegetables and other more exclusive products that are not on your “local” supermarket shelves. All the fresh produce is seasonal and it is grown in the best possible conditions, maximising nutritional content and taste. The time between the moment fruit and vegetables are picked and the moment you eat them is minimal, making them fresher than the supermarket equivalent. And, even better, the middleman is cut out so the farmers profit directly from selling their produce.

While more and more traditional shops quit the high street, we must continue to support farmers’ markets and local shops. Rita Exner, the secretary of FARMA (Farmers Retail and Markets Association), said farmers' markets were rapidly emerging as a significant, and sometimes crucial, source of income for the country's smaller producers.

You can support the market which is on the 2nd Saturday or every month, so will be on this Saturday (9th January). Go to http://kingsnortonfarmersmarket.org.uk for more information and become a fan on facebook.

  

For coverage of this story in the media:

Kings Norton Market Saved, Birmingham Mail, 11th January 2010

Popular farmers market in Kings Norton back on, Birmingham Mail, 9th January 2010

BACKGROUND

Back when the Kings Norton Market started in 2005 there was a lot of discussion about where the market should be – in the end we took the advice of the Highways Department, who told us that their preferred site was where we now are, with traffic diverted around the service road.

Since then they have regularly issued our road closure licence (for a fee of course!). This allows the Market to close the road so that they can put up the stalls. If they can’t close the road they can’t run the market.

Why is this place?

Market stalls need to be on a hard, level surface and the Market needs safe pedestrian access for our shoppers. There aren’t many places on The Green where those conditions apply, and the Highways Department suggested the current location as being best from their perspective.