Common Market? French and Italian Variety in The New Market Square
Paula Sharratt | 01.11.2007 12:46 | Culture | Sheffield
Honey Honey Honey Must be Runny....
Beautiful Brioche
Donald (Brit) With Turkish Crystal
Francesco's Fine Italian Wine
Luc and Julie The Lovers
Some of Sophie's Cheeses
Handmade Marseilles Soap
La famille Musos
Happy Alain from Normandy
Any Four Cheese for £5
Pashminae (!)
Carrie's Sweets
Olives Matured in Chilli Oil
Agnes Having The Patience To Spot a Discerning Customer
Sponges and Pumices
Spicy Napoli and Hardworking Hands
Watches On A Sundial
Emmanuel at Carrie's Charcuterie Stall
Luc's Handbags
Coming from Normandy, and London’s proud Italian victuallers, the UK ‘market run’ means travelling to weekend markets in places like Nottingham, Walthamstow, Chingford, Norwich, Bexley, 37 weekends a year.
Luc Girardeau, from the Vendee, organises the market, each stall is called a ‘metal’. Luc says there were 200 ‘metals’ at Nottingham. His dream is to bring 600 to the Market Square for next year’s market Russian, Polish, Senegalese, Turkish: a real common market!
What makes a really good market?
‘A great open space’ (Luc, Vendee, selling ponchos and coats for under £35).
‘Plenty of publicity, good metals that withstand English weather’. (Carrie, Paris, biscuits and pastries).
‘It must be having a real variety of great foods and drink, a combination of food you can try and take away and foods you can savour at home’ (Francesco, Italy, now London, Italian wine and more than thirty varieties of olives).
‘Give people a taste of quality and variety and they’ll return again and again’ (Sophie, Normandy, selling over forty varieties of cheese).
‘Show people import/export links, let them see funny, interesting things from all over the world, it makes them want to travel’ (Julia, Yandeh and Konateth, selling carved figures, jewellery, originally from Senegal, now in Normandy).
Regular open air markets can invigorate and stimulate imagination and creativity in research which gives people the confidence to create new businesses…
Irish Chocolate, Crystals from Turkey, Ponchos, Coats, Pashminas, Honey, Handmade Soaps, Brooches, Pates, Sausages, Hams, Cheeses: Gouda Raclette Fume, Rocquefort, Camembert, La Bienheureux, Saint Nectaire, Emmental, Mimolette, Beaufort, Saint Marcellin, Goat Crottin, half bresse bleu, Eposse, Neuf Chattel, buchette, Saint Marcellin, Munster, Moulle, Briecle, Meaux, Port Salut, Mosbier, fruit, vegetables, nuts, pulses, belts, bags, pastries: baklava, breads, paella, pasta, fine wines, animal figures, olives, jewellery….and more….
Paula Sharratt
e-mail:
poly.sharratt@btinternet.com