Traders hope to start new farmers’ market

LANCING traders have joined forces to organise a farmers’ market in the hope it will attract more custom to the area.
W08234H14-LancingHighStreet

GV of Lancing Shop, North Road. Lancing. SUS-140224-160241001W08234H14-LancingHighStreet

GV of Lancing Shop, North Road. Lancing. SUS-140224-160241001
W08234H14-LancingHighStreet GV of Lancing Shop, North Road. Lancing. SUS-140224-160241001

The move is in response to the Lancing Christmas market, Italian market and French market, which shop owners claim have affected local trade in the past.

Natalie Wareham has been the manager at Hippy Daze, in Culver Road, for five years.

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She said: “I work in an internet café shop and although we’re a trendy venue, we rely on our older customers to get business.”

Mrs Wareham claimed the parish council – which took over the Christmas market a few years ago – have closed North Road in previous years and prevented elderly clientele from using the cafe.

“They close the road each year so no one could come along anyway, even if they wanted to.

“Our younger people can go anywhere to do their shopping, but older people rely on getting the bus to get to the village,” she added.

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Adur District Council’s Italian and French markets have routinely closed North Road each year, but due to poor takings the two markets will not be returning.

A spokesperson for Adur district said: “In regards to the continental markets, the footfall wasn’t high enough to sustain the markets.

“The decision to discontinue them was based on profitability for the traders.”

Martin Howell of Sussex Drug Store, in Culver Road, said he does not have a problem with the Christmas market, but there is no need to close North Road.

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He said: “It’s not good if you close the road off as people rely on the bus and cars to get to the village.”

To tackle this, traders have now come together to arrange their own farmers’ market that they hope will benefit the local shops.

Natalie said: “If we do start our own market, we will definitely not be looking at closing any roads.

“We think Greenway car park is the obvious place to do it.”

Mr Howell added that plans are still in their infancy, but the market should hopefully drum up trade for the area.

Lancing Parish Council was approached by the Herald but declined to comment.