Buxton Market – what market?

Buxton Market – what market?

Here’s another article from our resident Mr Grumpy of Buxton!

I have to laugh when I read “Buxton…. has a thriving twice weekly market” or “Number of stalls: 50-70″ or “that appeal to residents and attract visitors to High Peak.”

There I am, in my shorts, cotton shirt and sandals (not a pretty sight) ready to peruse the wares and offerings of

Buxton’s Market stall traders during one of the recent most glorious weather days, when all there is to find is a handful of stalls…..and a burger van.

Call me sceptical, but at the time of count, there were less than TEN market stalls, or to be precise, some 44 short of the

number ‘Information Britain‘ boasts about! If I were a visiting tourist keen to sample the many delights “Buxton Market” offers, I’d feel short changed.

Undoubtedly, tourists go stir crazy during off-peak times of the year because the scope of things to see, do or buy in “Buxton Market” is as seasonal as, well, Mrs G getting her flip flops out. That’s unless tourists wish to navigate the Buxton shopping centre and sample its many offerings as they would in their own local shopping centre….er, de ja vu?

So what actually encourages traders to cough up £60.00 – £100.00 a week for a semi/permanent pitch in Buxton Market, because when you have empty shops as side-attractions, a coach stop so far away from Upper Buxton it might as well be sited at Morrison’s, I can not see any justification or desire for anyone to invest in a market stall pitch. In fact, while the rates for a semi or permanent pitch might not appear to be unreasonable, consider at least 100 burgers have to be flipped and sold before any other overheads are considered which, going on the number of stalls to peruse, must be increasingly difficult if not soul destroying when customers are in dwindling numbers….ooer, just like the trading stalls! How many pairs of knickers, sun-hats or bric-a-brac have to be sold week in, week out to justify a pitch in Buxton Market?

Let’s be honest, it’s probably right that a market stall is not in direct competition with a local shop, but come on, it’s unlikely that a few more clothes stalls will cause major upset to Upper Buxton trade.?!

So what do other markets and stalls offer whilst still managing to compete with the superstores…and remember, Buxton isn’t dominated by the likes of Tesco and is supposedly the highest market town in England? Where are all the stalls, i.e.

Tools and Hardware
Womens Fashions
Mens Fashions
Footwear and socks
Bedding
Nightwear
Underwear
Swimwear
Camping / Army Surplus / All weather clothing
Baby Goods
Arts and Crafts
Pet Food
Fishmongers
Butchers
Fruit and Veg
Health Foods
Plants and Flowers
Jewellery and Collectables
Household Goods, CDs, DVDs and Videos
Vac spares
Rugs and Mats
Mobility Equipment
Car Accessories

Hmmm? Just a few examples there. It’s not rocket science to foresee further vacant pitchs appearing in “Buxton Market” if there’s no drive to attract business. Still, the parked cars will benefit from the empty pitches and eventually “Buxton Market” will become another decayed memory along with its ‘highest market town’ title.

Actually, with the boy-racers cruising the night time roads, drunken youths urinating in the street and empty shop doorways, yes, the ones with England shirts and flags wrapped round their frames, it’s so nice to see Buxton finally levelling out with the rest of the UK’s state of decaying municipalism. A town charactarised like all the others…which eventually ends in “—- hole”.

Far removed from the ‘Tourist Attraction’ area it supposedly is, Buxton has become a Dinosaur Town and there’s little evidence to support positive change. Ask anyone over 50 in Buxton where the market is and the word ‘extinct’ will undoubtedly crop up, coupled with the younger expressive faces of puzzlement, bewilderment and “Dime Bar?”

R.I.P. Buxton Market 2010.

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Buxton Market – what market?

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