Councillor Joanna Biddolph spoke at the licensing review panel about two crucial aspects of the operation of the monthly antiques market in the central car park in Chiswick: safety on pavements and crossings, and the effect of the market on local bricks and mortar businesses such as from the loss of the car park. During the panel hearing, one of the market traders spoke of Cllr Joanna Biddolph as "you stupid woman"; he apologised after the panel chairman intervened. She argued strongly that there should not be any stalls or stands on the corners of Annandale Road and Devonshire Road as she had seen people forced to walk in the cycle lane or unable to reach the crossing safely as stalls encroached on the tactile paving that guides visually impaired people to crossings. She pointed out that the space taken up by stalls at this market are not well defined; the result was that they encroached on space that was needed for pedestrians and people in wheelchairs. Speaking to the panel, she said:
I have two main concerns about this application:
- Safety on pavements and crossing roads
- The effect on local bricks and mortar businesses including from the loss of the car park
As I say in my submission, my views have not changed since these issues first arose with this market.
First, safety
None of the other market traders takes up space in the way antiques market traders do, with displays of goods in areas that seem not to be physically defined in the same way as are stalls at other markets. Items such as paintings on easels are put out beyond a table’s space and therefore take up public space needed for walking or using wheelchairs in safety.
It is this physical creep that concerns me on the corner of Annandale Road and Chiswick High Road. I have complaints from people in wheelchairs or with mobility issues when they are forced into the cycle lane to get past browsers at stalls on this corner or who find a blocked or difficult to reach route to the tactile paving on the area marked for crossing Annandale Road.
These safety concerns should come first, especially for this market where the defined areas for stalls are not clear and are not necessarily managed well on the day, despite pledges. You’ll have seen the photo in my submission.
Second, the effect on local businesses
I will always take the side of bricks and mortar businesses. I was elected to represent business ratepayers not just residents. Our bricks and mortar businesses provide services to residents, and each other, most of them seven days a week, with very high overheads. With long-term commitments to us plus some live in Chiswick or elsewhere in the borough, and they provide jobs for local people.
Food businesses are the most significantly affected because all but this market sell food on-the-go or to take home. Although this market is the least bad in terms of taking business away from local food businesses, it still has an impact. As long as business owners tell me that their businesses are negatively affected, I will champion them.
Cafes that appear to be “buzzing” as residents often say, are busy serving coffees on a day when they should be selling brunches, Sunday lunches, afternoon tea and supper/dinner. If they don’t, they are not operating profitably … on the day of the week that should be their busiest. It is known as pay day Sunday as it should bring in enough money to cover the week ahead’s wages.
Markets also affect bricks and mortar businesses beyond the centre as the markets bring people to the centre. Businesses that lose out are not only food businesses; others also report lost business.
In addition, markets are not universally supported. I hear from residents who tell me they avoid Chiswick on Sundays and some actively go elsewhere – Barnes, Ealing, Richmond, etc – to eat out and do what they would otherwise do in Chiswick on Sundays – because they don’t like the markets.
Then there’s the car park
It is well-known, across the UK, that parking is crucial for retail, hospitality and service businesses. Traders feel the loss of the car park – now two car parks, for all four market Sundays, a total of 64 central spaces that no longer turn over allowing shoppers to stop and buy. Plus on-street spaces which are taken up by traders particularly of this market. Residents want to park. Businesses want their customers to park.
Extending the time these spaces are lost to other businesses means our loyal local bricks and mortar businesses are being disadvantaged for even longer.
On footfall
It is really important to note that footfall is not the same as spend. People who come to Chiswick to the markets do not necessarily spend in Chiswick. Passers-by, browsers, do not make businesses successful. It is also important to look at footfall numbers suggested by market holders in relation to footfall in the area before the markets came here. Chiswick had very high footfall at weekends. Chiswick’s previous success is now a daily struggle – with the cost-of-living crisis and increased and rising costs deterring spending.
So, I remain resolutely of the view that the licensed area should not be expanded to include the three stalls hoped for on this corner; and that the hours should not be expanded to favour traders most of whom are from out of town, but should remain as they are now, to suit local residents and local businesses.
The car park is needed for parking which is known to be crucial for retail, hospitality and service businesses.
