There has been talk of the
Greenwich Market food stalls being shut down in the next month.
And since this is the last weekend that we’ll be around before we go on holiday, we decided to have one last trip and enjoy some of our favourites. Because when we get back, they might not be there.
There is a lot of talk about what’s going to happen to the market. With the Olympics being nearby and the re-opening of the Cutty Sark, Greenwich is going to be an even more popular destination in the next few years than it is right now. And of course the people who own the market want to make the most of it – but the people aren’t happy about it.
Hubby and I love this cosy market with the delicious food. The crafts are fab too, but by wandering around the market on any given weekend, it’s obvious that it’s the food that draws people in. Then they stay for the crafts. I personally think that getting rid of the food stalls would be detrimental to the entire market.
There’s also talk that the market owners, who own many of the buildings around too are feeling pressure from their other restaurant/pub tenants about the customers that these businesses lose to the market.
But they’re all dire eateries and if it the food market weren’t there, I for one wouldn’t eat at any of the other restaurants in the area – except for one of the big chains like Pizza Express or Subway. There is the exception of the Gypsy Moth, which is very good – but as far as I can tell, it’s not one of the pubs in question anyway.
Sorry, Admiral Hardy. If the Greenwich food market shuts, you still won’t have my customers.
Why don’t these pubs that surround the market embrace the food stalls – invite the eaters in to use their seating, as long as they buy a drink in the process, what’s the problem. It’s a well known fact that pubs make the majority of their money off the drinks – not the food.
Hubby and I go to Greenwich Market nearly every weekend. We enjoy the unusual foods, the great atmosphere and seeing all the crafts. Our primary reason though is for the good lunch and if the food stalls weren’t there any longer, we’d probably not come anymore – at least not unless we had a specific need for a handmade gift.
We’ve signed the
petition and are keeping our fingers crossed that when we get back it’s still there.
(18/7/10)
Update: 14/8/10
First lucid weekend back after the holiday and we thought we’d go see what was going on at the market. We were so happy to see the food stalls all there! According to the owner of one of my favourite stalls, they’ve now got until the end of October. He didn’t seem very confident that it would go beyond that though.
The petition is still available to sign online.
