What the?

It was such a lovely morning yesterday, Sunday, that I, hubby and youngest daughter decided to visit the new Boggo Road Gaol Market, set up by the original Brisbane market trail blazer Ms Peta Hackworth. Peta set up the original Riverside Market many years ago and which kick-started the market world here in Brisbane and I thank you Peta for your foresight as I can now officially confess that I am indeed, a market junkie, I truly can't get enough of them!

On arriving at Boggo Road, hubby and I noted how the precinct had become modernised with the new to us Ecoscience building adorning the area, along with a new bus stop, just off Annerley Road. The old gaol has been looked after well, aesthetically speaking having clearly had an external gurneying in the near past and although they were conducting historical walks which meandered through the market area, these walks did not allow entry into the gaol.

Regardless, the market, though clearly in its early days, was substantial in the areas of fruit and veg, hot food stalls, craft stalls as well as having a couple of musicians/bands placed strategically throughtout the area and the surroundings were more than pleasant. Note: in these summer days, best to get to these markets in the earlier hours to avoid the heat. Note II: Don't be concerned, there are always adequate stalls ready to cure your hydration problems.

I felt in the mood for more market observing after our roaming at Boggo Road and not wanting to go home and conquer what was awaiting me in the laundry I encouraged hubby, with great success, to visit our old haunting grounds of Mitchelton, Blackwood Road Markets, run by Jan Power. On arrival, we noted that the set up was the same and I looked forward to seeing some familiar faces. Unfortunately this was not to be the case. Though the market had clearly expanded a little since my time there as a stall holder some two years ago, there were only three remaining original stalls which saddened both hubby and I. Not only was this a sad situation but what I found even more confronting which maddened me somewhat was that adorning market stall space at these markets are the local real estate chains and the local sitting politician! This young lady was handing out red carnations randomly to us to give to grandparents, as it was, she informed each person passing, grandparents day? Well I have since surfed this on the net and according to Wiki, yes it was National Australia’s Grandparents day, the first Sunday in November. Note to self for future reference!

It is a wonderful thing to see the weekend market life expand in our fair city, however as a stallholder for some 5 years now, I feel I must put my foot down and ask what the? According to Wiki, a market is any one of a variety of systems, institutions, procedures, social relations and infrastructures whereby parties engage in exchange. However in my eyes, this does not include real estate agents and pollies!! Don't these people like being on TV? So what are they doing occupying these wonderful markets?

Now we all know that in the good ol’ days, money was not factored into the original produce selling country market. Exchanging of goods was how it was done in the old days, alleviating the want for cash, and quite frankly this still exists in some situations. I for one exchange my products for other stallholder products and the almighty dollar does not enter the exchange which I truly love. Bring these days back I say! So how does a real estate agent and a politician exchange anything? The only things these people had were business cards and dehydrated flowers. Okay I will always settle for a flower, albeit dehydrated, but having these characters in a market place is just wrong in my eyes. No doubt they paid to have their stalls, I certainly hope so anyway. So this makes me question, and knowing how difficult it is to secure a spot at any popular market, did these characters take the place of a local producer eg farmer, butcher, candle stick maker, who are struggling to keep their heads above water especially in the present economic climate, or is it just that money talks and market organisers are much happier taking that almighty dollar from anyone who is willing to pay including politicians and real estate agents? I think someone may be missing the whole point of why we the people go to markets! It is to buy local products from our local supplies for affordable prices and to cut out that middle man, the BIG TWO, and save a pretty penny or two of the household budget.

Yes, I was extremely disappointed to see these groups now clearly working their way into the happy market place but I certainly hope that this is not a growing trend. As a stallholder I am not wanting to involve a middle man who I know will place another 300% on top of my asking price for my wares should I put them in their retail world and hence the markets is the ideal place for me and my gorgeous wares. Please leave the market stalls for us the local, hard-working producers, trying to make a penny and at the same time, make the public happy too. Keep the politicians on TV where they all seem to like it anyway!