Essex market traders fear ULEZ could make stalls disappear forever

Market traders in Romford have spoken out over their fears that the expansion of ULEZ could make their stalls disappear for good. George Chittock has been selling household and garden items at his stall for more than 50 years. He took on the mantle of the family enterprise after his father, George Senior, passed away around 40 years ago. MyLondon[1] spoke to the traders, including George, still working at the market, which was established by royal order nearly 800 years ago in 1247, about their recent experience and what they think lies ahead after locals reported that they were struggling.

They said it is “dead” and could soon disappear forever because of people’s changing shopping habits, lasting effects of the pandemic, rising rent and rival outlets. They also reminisced, remembering that the area often used to be full of people and there were days when “you couldn’t move” for the crowds. But now only a smaller number of stalwarts remain.

READ MORE: ‘Almost 700,000 car drivers facing ULEZ fee’ when zone expands[2] Speaking on a very pleasant bright early spring day in the middle of Romford’s huge but gradually emptying market, the 68-year-old paused for thought and then gave a small sigh before saying: “It’s just gone downhill, there’s nothing much you can do about it. “It’s general trade.

Covid, that’s where we lost a lot of our trade, I think. And North Weald [a market in nearby Epping], that takes away trade, but that’s competition for you, isn’t it? Rent is going up a little bit but it hasn’t been for a good many years, so it’s not [going up] massively.

The worst thing will be the ULEZ. If you take people from Brentwood, to get here it would cost them GBP12.50 more. That will make a lot of difference to Romford.

“Anyone from outside the town will think twice about coming, and then there’s paying for car parking. It will make a lot of difference. I’ve been here over 50 years, I’ve seen it all.

Years ago you couldn’t walk down here, and the buses came through the market. That’s what really killed it off, when they stopped buses coming through here.” Pointing towards South Street and the new Elizabeth Line station, Mr Chittock continued: “But now they’re over there.

Luckily enough there’s a lot of elderly people who like a good old fashioned stall and that makes a difference.” Asked if he were thinking about retiring, he said: “I’ll see how my health goes, perhaps within the next couple of years.

70 years is quite long enough. When the [older traders] go, there won’t be enough money to warrant [the market]. This was a thriving business when I took it over from my dad.”

Paula Kennedy, 42, who runs Fresh Farm Eggs with 71-year-old Ron Strowd, said: “It definitely needs more people. It’s not run that fairly, there’s loads of gaps everywhere and we’re asked to keep our vans in and things like that – they don’t think about the traders themselves. Management needs to be more considerate for traders and maybe get coaches into the area rather than out of it.

“It’s historic here, a year ago we had a lady doing a tour and talks – it was a nice thing. Older residents say this isn’t a market anymore. But people [who grew up] outside of England are happy with what they see.”

Mr Strowd, who has operated a stall for 17 years, added: “Don’t get me started. It needs running properly. ULEZ will finish it.

Today most of the vans are out [to protect the stalls] because of the wind, but they will be gone. And you can’t get a new one, there’s not enough.” Friend Barry Goodyear can often be found “not doing any work” behind the counter. He said: “It’ll be worse still when the ULEZ comes in – it will all be dead.

People won’t want to pay GBP12.50 on top.” Diane Rigby, who runs the more than 60-year-old family fish stall, Best Plaice, said: “It has gone downhill, not just the market but the whole town. Because there’s so many shops closing down and they’re developing flats everywhere, but the infrastructure’s the same.

There are no more hospitals, no more schools, no more doctors.

(Image: Facundo Arrizabalaga/MyLondon)

“Rents go up and up and up and people shop more online now, especially during the winter. They don’t come to the market anymore, they go to Aldi where it’s cheaper. There was a day when the market was the cheaper option, now it’s not.” Ms Rigby added that inflation and price rises have also been biting over recent months.

She said: “Lately they’ve really gone up, for fish they’ve been through the roof. This has an effect and people aren’t buying as much as they used to.” Leonard Leslie, 77, who has run his memorial and flower stall for more than 20 years, said: “I’m glad I’m retiring in July.

I’ve been here over 20 years, and with this charge that’s going to take place in August, it will stop people coming into Romford. Business is bad, and I’m putting two and two together – I’m just getting out. I’m 77 now and I’ve had enough.

“For the first 10 years it was brilliant. Every now and again there was a bit of a decline and you looked for excuses, you looked at your stall. But since Covid [the market has] gone.

Look at the gaps here, stall holders are spread out. They pay for footage and they’re spread out to fill the market. We have our vans here because of the bad winds, but markets are gone, finished.”

Asked if it could be saved, Mr Leslie added: “I don’t think so, you don’t get youngsters shopping here like you used to. They all sit indoors and do it online.”

Council’s response

A Havering Council spokesperson said in response: “Trading on the market has been tough since COVID. We did have a bit of a bounce back after the lockdown, however, during the current economic crisis we have noticed a significant shift in customer spending and footfall.

We have noticed this throughout the whole town centre, and is also common among other towns as we talk to other markets and market operators to gauge business and footfall. They are suffering in the same way. “We are currently encouraging new traders to join us, with incentives to help them to get started.

They include several events on market days, and we have managed to keep the pitch rent frozen for the last eight years up until this year. We are introducing storage facilities and are shortly going to change the parking arrangements which will save traders over GBP20 a week. We will do everything we can to support our traders and Romford Market.”

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References

1. ^ MyLondon (www.mylondon.news)
2. ^ ‘Almost 700,000 car drivers facing ULEZ fee’ when zone expands (www.essexlive.news)