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MARKET TRADING GROUPS have defended their right to compete with others businesses, following criticism from a Dublin councillor.
Kate O’Connell, a Fine Gael Councillor in Dublin South East, said that Dublin City Council should not pay to advertise street markets as it gives “an unfair advantage” to casual traders over local businesses.
“It’s daylight robbery. Why should the Council fund these marketeers when struggling local businesses are paying thousands of euro in rates every year and are barely managing to open their doors every day?
“Stalls that are seeking to trade in direct competition with existing, rate-paying businesses should be prohibited from being part of local markets.”
O’Connell also questioned how the traders’ stalls are inspected in terms of health standards.
She was due to raise these issues at a meeting of Dublin City Council yesterday, but her motion had to be pushed back due to time constraints. It is expected that the motion will be discussed next week instead.
Des Vallely, the co-director of Irish Village Markets (IVM), disputed O’Connell’s claims.
She doesn’t really know what she’s talking about, our guys do pay rates.
IMV organises nine markets a week, with an average of 15 stalls per market.
Vallely said that all of the 55 traders on the group’s books pay rent and VAT and pass all Health and Safety Authority inspections with “flying colours”.
“The only difference is that we’re pop-ups, not bricks.”
He remarked that businesses should do more to compete with markets in terms of quality and price, rather than engaging in “giving out” and “begrudgery”.
Our guys work very hard and have a right to trade … I’ll take [O'Connell] on, if she wants to get into a debate then let’s open a debate about it.
Gráinne Quinn, director of International Operators Market & Street Traders, also defended the rights of stall owners, saying they pay many fees including rent and insurance.
These are just local people trying to make a living … Market trading is a very important part of our culture, many shops started out as market traders. There should be equal opportunities for everyone to make a living.
O’Connell said that she had “no problem” with traders selling home-made food but in particular questioned stalls that sell coffee.
“Coffee is not grown in Ireland so who is that supporting?”
She noted that, as a pharmacist, her business is “protected” from any such competition, stating: “Someone can’t start selling Solpadeine outside my door.”
However, she said that she was compelled to raise the subject among her peers on the Council after a number of business owners contacted her about it.
“I love going to markets and I never thought about [this issue] until traders came to me about it.”
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Brilliant idea.
True, but the retailers ain’t gonna like it!
Can I bring my heart? Someone broke it…
Sounds a bit like the Mens’ Sheds idea, the more of these things that spring up the better IMO. People have got used to the throwaway society but there is great satisfaction to be had from repairing things.
Can I bring irish water ?
Idiot
Why would you want to fix that ?
Not exactly the type of cafe from Amsterdam I was hoping for but its a start.
This is a great idea and frankly one that should be adopted countrywide. I would love to learn new skills that would give many old items a new lease of life . We really need to move away from the throwaway culture. When I could afford it I always tried to buy better quality items that are repairable . I am a big fan of upcycling too and would love more techniques on that. The attitude of maintains and repairing and caring for what you own us the ONLY good thing to come out of this recession I think .
Me too, Catherine. I’d rather buy good quality secondhand than bad quality new.
Excellent idea, Fixing stuff when it broke or mending the odd rip in your clothes ( patching your jeans before it became fashionable not to) was taken for granted in my youth. Even taking things apart before they broke, ya know just in case it did break in the future.
A little excess money tends to negate the necessity which of course is the mother of all invention.
A great idea for those people that just need a kickstart to get going,I learned to do repairs many moons ago when I bought my first car,a late sixties Morris minor that had pop up indicators that got stuck, I not only do a lot of my own repairs but also like a lot of DIY addicts learned to recycle and invent new solutions to problems, thereby saving large amounts of dosh in the process, it’s neither compulsory nor is it desirable to pay through the nose for everything, there are alternatives but you do need a good tool kit.
It’s a good idea, would you have to sign a disclaimer that if you got a shock from a broken lamp etc that you wouldn’t sue otherwise I could see the council shutting it down.
I’m not sure they would advocate a lay person doing electrical repairs . You need to be RECI certified for to attempt those.
Well, how did it go?
have your say