French market stallholders trigger the Battle of Food
Friday 28th August 2009, 2:30PM BST.
French traders at the North Show. The lower fees they were charged angered some local food sellers.
AS THE curtain came down on another successful Battle of Flowers, local food sellers threatened to boycott next year’s North Show after rival French traders were given cheaper pitches.
The locals said they had to compete with Normandy market traders who paid less than a quarter of what they were charged and were sited near the main arena.
Country Bake’s Richard Hamblin said he would not be back.
‘I had to pay the same fee as last year and we were not told they were coming,’ he said. ‘Last year there were two of us selling chips and now there are four. When the French turned up this morning with three big fryers and started frying food that just about did it.’
French spokesman Roupsard Arnaud said the Normandy market traders were paying about £150 each.
Sawatdi Restaurant co-owner Peter Macgill said he would want to know if the French traders were coming again and would speak to the event’s organisers before he would consider a presence at the North Show next year.
‘They are paying less than 25% of what others are – it’s grossly unfair,’ he said.
Show president Nick Dorey said the Normandy Market had been charged the same rate for pitches as it paid at North Beach car park.
‘We couldn’t charge them the full rate as they have to pay their expenses to come over and for their accommodation and we wanted them here,’ he said.
‘We bring different things in to attract people and to fill spaces. If we ask the French to pay that sort of money then they won’t be here.’
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Sounds like a case of sour onions to me
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The French markets and food offered by them made a big difference to the normal burgers and chips offered (Sawatdi aside) and food aside, enhanced the whole event by filling a big space near the arena.
But its not fair to all pay different rates.
Next year they should meet in the middle. Suggest the Committee reduce the Guernsey rates but increase the French costs a little to ensure a level playing field that still makes it worthwhile for the the French guys to come over.
Simple really.
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I don’t blame the local stallholders for complaining it is totally irrelavent that the French have to pay there expences, fine if you want them here charge the locals the same at least the money they make goes back into the Island in the form of tax the French takings go straight into there pockets. I enjoy the French markets but it would’nt be them that drew me to the North Show, so show commitee stand by your locals if it was’nt for them you would’nt have a show
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The Country Bake guy ran out of chips, and cheese by 9pm so i dont think he did badly at all!
Its a shame sour grapes over food at the North when the West has more competition !
small groups of people are desperatly trying to keep these shows alive for locals and visitor alike. I hope they do keep up the hard work, and forget the negative comments on food.
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I think it is totally outrageous and a smack in the face to local traders & suppliers. At a time of global recession when local growers and traders are struggling to survive, what do we do? Let’s bring over the French to steal even more of our local business, whilst we’re about it, let’s also charge them a fraction of what we charge a local trader! The comments from Nick Dorey, who surely should know better, are ridiculous in the extreme. If the French don’t want to pay the same, then simple stay in France. Better still don’t even invite them in the first place. This show has a long and proud heritage over many years and surely it’s very existence was to showcase the local product? I have not been for many years because the show has just become more and more commercial every year, but I specifically went this year because my son was on one of the floats and had helped build it. When I went in the first thing I saw after that awful fairground was the French Stalls, I was horrified and amazed that we could allow this to happen in Guernsey. Tell you what, pop over with 10 or so local traders to any French market, say La Rochelle for example, pitch up your stall selling Guernsey produce and see what happens. If your stall was not set on fire or you started a riot within 5 minutes, I would be very much surprised. I have nothing against the French personally, indeed I love going to France every year at least once, but to invite them over to pinch our business is crass stupidity and naive in the extreme. It is about time we got behind our local traders and supported them, instead of stabbing them in the back like this. It was bad enough seeing them down on the North Beach but to see them at the main island show was unbelievable. If I want to buy French food, I’ll go down to French Accents or Checkers to get it, I do not want to see it at the North Show. Boycott the show next year in protest I say. C’mon Chamber of Commerce or Guernsey Press get behind the locals as has been seen in Jersey with their ‘Buy Local’ campaign. Isn’t it about time that Guernsey did the same? KEEP IT LOCAL
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with you all the way Nigel.
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I like to see the french stalls as it is something different but i do think that the difference in pitch price is ridiculous. Would the French do the same for Guernsey stall holders at their markets – i don’t think so!
I like the idea of finding a middle ground so that the pitch price is the same for all – or perhaps there is a way of working out that the stall holders pay a percentage of the profits they make? As others have said several of the Guernsey stalls ran out of food so they must have been profitable.
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Ban the French. They sell french things to children, some of whom are as young as twelve!!!
Would you do that?
Some parents are in shock, “disgusting” one of them probably said, although I haven’t talked to them.
With you all the way, Pete Burtenshaw.
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JL Seagull is right!! Ban the French!!
Miss Student Bob (12) was horrifically attacked by a french cashew salesman at a show who brazenly flaunted and offered his nuts to her recently. This sort of depraved behaviour CANNOT be allowed to continue. She now has a panic attack and hides behind the sofa every time she hears the theme music to ‘Allo ‘Allo on UK Gold.
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Everyone is overlooking the additional costs the French incur in coming to Guernsey and providing a service. Their costs were probably far in excess of the reduction in pitch price. Where’s the problem? Are Guernsey traders really so afraid of a bit of competition?
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If we went to France and asked to set up a stall in one of their weekly markets we’d have to pay the same rate, no Qs asked
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whilst the french did incur additional costs coming over, were they just over for the north show? it was bank holiday on monday, so were they set up at north beach then? (honest question as i dont actually know).
if they were there on the monday then im sure they made plenty enough to cover expenses and still make a decent profit.
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I say fair enough to charge different rates. Not only do the French have additional costs, but to me the French market is an attraction in its own right, which greatly enhanced the North Show (and helped justify the hefty entry fee). I can go and see most of the local shops anytime I please, and to be honest found it annoying having to walk around spas and such which got in the way of the real attractions. If I wanted a spa, I would go to a spa shop.
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Do you think that Guernsey traders do not have costs as well?
My opinion is that if local traders tried to go to France.
Would it be as easy to take stalls there, as it is to Guernsey and would they survive a fire.
It is obvious that some of you, do not run local business and some do not like or support them.
Should we not look more at,local traders that contribute to our economy all the year round,and not the carpetbaggers.
Also local deputies? have to decide, whether they look after the interests of local business or outside ones.
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Edguet – I realise Guernsey businesses also have costs, but my point is that their costs are not as high as the French trader’s costs. It is a shame that some Guernsey people are narrow minded and anti anything from outside the island. There’s a big world out there we can all share!
I do support Guernsey businesses if they provide what I want at a reasonable price but sometimes it’s good to have something a bit different available, such as the French traders. Maybe the Guernsey traders could be a bit more imaginative with what they offer, and then they could compete?
I agree with Gemma – those French stalls were a good attraction in their own right. Let them come again.
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I was very dissapointed a couple of years ago with the standard of refreshment at the North Show..wouldn’t this be a place to showcase Guernsey Ice Cream..not likely ..maybe with the French there the local vendors might lift their game and we all could benefit.
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To everyone who wants to see the French markets more, it’s quite simple really, go to France!!
Can you imagine the French subsidising our farmers’ markets if they wanted to pitch up in St Malo? There’s more chance of finding a French stallholder who doesn’t smell of garlic than that happening.
Personally I am a big fan of Portuguese food, some piri-piri chicken, cataplana etc would go down a treat at the North Show. My girlfriend prefers Spanish food, and my parents love Italian. Can we please have at least one stall from each European nationality at next year’s show? Or is it just the French who have this opportunity extended to them, not just at the show but at several markets a year at North Beach.
p.s. who wants to pay £7 for a punnet of olives anyway when you can get the same produce cheaper from French Accents, and the money stays in the local economy.
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Local traders have costs, tax and insurance over 12 months, and not a quick come in and take without giving.
Guernsey people have never been narrow minded, unimaginative and anti things.
This has been proved over the centuries, this is why it has been a place, that people come to live or work.
I love going to French markets, eating there food,enjoying their way of life and playing golf in their country.
If you look at being narrow minded,and looking after their own interests, regardless of Europe’s laws. It must be the french, and good for them.
Guernsey used to have the sense, to be like our cousins, but now we tend to have the English disease, which is why so many people are coming to this Island, to get away from England.
I will say again carpetbaggers, do not do this Island any favours. Buy local, the cost is lower in the long run.
The farmers market traders should wear a french beret and red hankie, and then charge £10 per iceberg. A pour allez au marche Francis? Les chou-fleurs coute seul dix livres.
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The French traders also have to pay tax and insurance, admittedly not here, but then they are prepared to pay to come here to give us something different which many people enjoy. We should welcome them and be grateful that they are prepared to put themselves through the trouble of getting here.
If Guernsey traders had something to offer, I think it is very likely that they would be welcome in France – why don’t they try it instead of moaning about foreign traders? There are people making assumptions about what would happen to a Guernsey trader in France, but has anyone actually tried it, or is it just assumption with no factual base?
The prosperity of Guernsey has been and is based on international trade.
Phil has an idea – why not an International Food Village at next year’s show. I’m sure it would be well supported. There’s an idea for the North Show Committee.
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The french traders pay insurance and tax in France, as you said it does not benefit us at all.
We are to small, to send stalls to France, they have a much bigger place to do business from.
As for no factual base, for saying the french would not burn our stalls.
Look back a few years, when British beef, which was in lorries in France, was taking out, and petrol was pored on before being burnt. This was in front of French Police, who stood by and allowed this to go on. This is well documented, in the National papers and television.
Open your eyes Frank, don’t keep the blinkers on.
As for buying local, we must agree to differ, l will always buy local, even if it costs? a bit more. I suspect you and Jack the Lad are great friends.
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