Ally Pally market organisers threatening Harringay Market

[Anette]

I wanted to bring your attention to this discussion currently on Harringay Online, regarding the bullying tactics of a Mr. Elder of CCFM, the organisers of Alexandra Palace Farmers Market.

Please read, and offer your support. This bullying is unacceptable.

http://www.harringayonline.com/forum/topics/ally-pally-market-organ...

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From Jessica, a HoL member and driving force behind the Harringay Market:

"

Hello everyone,

I want to share with you what's been going on behind the scenes since the start of Harringay Market.

Since week 2 a few of my producers have been threatened by Chris Elder and his CCFM, the organisers of Alexandra Palace Farmers Market. These traders have been running a stall on both markets.

If these people continued to run a stall on Harringay Market, he would remove them from all his markets.

For the producers it's obviously a big deal. CCFM run markets accross London and for a suffering business to hear that you're in danger of losing your main income it's very hard to continue doing Harringay Market.

I've tried convincing most of them, and I'm happy that some of them stayed and didn't let mr. Elder rule their business, but today it happened again.

I'd secured a deal with a great poultry farmer, who was very excited to become part of our market. However he emailed me today to cancel, cause mr. Elder had threatened them yesterday.

They need Ally Pally as they're unsure about how much income they'll make on Harringay Market, because we are still building the market.

I can understand their concern, I couldn't convince them in the end to come, so mr Elder won and I burst into tears.

My focus is the local community, the market is not a money making business, I can't say the same about the intentions of CCFM. I always thought that CCFM, who run farmers markets in and beyond London, were about supporting farmers and traders.

I'm shocked to learn for the 3rd time in 6 weeks that these people don't support their traders or care about them. These farmers and bakers who simply try to earn money are bullied by mr Elder and scared to lose their income if they don't listen to him.

It's very hard for me to know who does his market and who doesn't. I think mr Elder might be under the impression that I go to scout his traders on his markets. But the list for the traders on London Farmers Market can be found online and doesn't ever mention anyone being on Ally Pally market.

I'm not the only market organiser who's had to deal with this unfortunately. I know someone else who had the same issues, but in the end mr. Elder stopped running his market in that part of London.

However if this continues then there might not be enough produce traders left for me to add to our market, which would threaten its future.

I wanted to explain this to everyone cause I've been reading through the surveys and people want more produce, meat etc. However I'm fighting against the big CCFM who have enough money and for me some things are impossible to achieve.

Once again I thank you for your support and please reward my traders by supporting them and show them that their choice to stay on Harringay Market is worth while.

Jessica"