On the 14th of October 2011 traders from the Bull Ring Open Market and Wholesale Market held a public meeting to discuss the future of the markets if Birmingham City Council decide to take the option to close the Wholesale Market in 2013 when it goes back to cabinet in January 2012 and the impact that this would have on the city.
Michael Ward was a speaker at the meeting and spoke about the probable disastrous results this would have on Birmingham both economically and culturally.
On October 14th 2011, traders from the Bull Ring Market and the Wholesale Market held a public meeting at St Martins Church in the Bull Ring. They invited Carl Chinn, local historian and newspaper columnist and Michael Ward, a public policy specialist, to talk about the markets and their historic, cultural, social and economic importance. Traders also talked about the current situation affecting the markets.
A big thank you to all those who attended either as speakers or as audience. Thanks to the members of the public who engaged with this issue and asked us some very good questions.
I filmed the meeting and have been painstakingly trying to edit on an almost defunct lap top which is why it has taken me so long! The meeting is in four parts;
PART 1 – Traders from Bull Ring Market and Wholesale Market talking about current situation as they see it.
PART 2 – Carl Chinn giving us a brilliant trip into the past and connecting it to our everyday experience of the Bull Ring Markets.
PART 3 – Michael Ward, public policy specialist highlighting why it is of utmost importance to keep the Wholesale Market in the centre of the city.
PART 4 – Q and A between the public and speakers.
So far, I have only managed to get Part 1 and Part 2 active, the rest to follow…
Today we attended a meeting in Great Barr to discuss the impact that the Wholesale market closure could have on Senior Citizens.
Bernice explains to the group what has been happening and they are very supportive. So thanks to them for inviting us and offering us their support in our campaign to Save Our Markets!
On Friday 14th October 2011 at 2pm til 4pm in St Martins Church, traders from the Bull Ring Open Market are holding a public meeting to discuss the future of these historic markets.
Speakers include Carl Chinn, local historian and newspaper columnist and Michael Ward, a regeneration and public policy specialist will talk about the historical, social, economic and cultural importance of our markets to the people of Birmingham.
As Michael Ward highlights more than 1150 retail markets operate in the UK, employing nearly 100, 000 people and generating over more than £125 million pounds per year for the market operators. Can Birmingham really afford to lose these historic and economically vibrant markets in a time of economic hardship and high unemployment nationwide?
Members of the public, local councillors and MP’s and local businesses are invited to come and have their say.
Bull Ring Market traders, traders from the Wholesale Markets and members of the public joined together today to show Lib Dem politicians the importance of the Wholesale markets and the Bull Ring markets to Birmingham. Around 60 people marched upto the I.C.C.
Marching through the streets of Birmingham City Centre to the ICC, traders received support from members of the public.
On reaching our destination, traders chanted and co-chair of Bull Ring Open Markets Traders Committee went live on radio WM to put the question to Cllr Paul Tilsley about why this decision had been made. This was the first time traders have been able to elicit any direct response from Tilsley. You can hear this on http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00k8p86
Bernice Ellis – co-chair of Bull Ring Open Markets Traders Committee feels that the March was a huge success for the traders.
On the way back we were listening to Radio WM – a station that we now love dearly! and were shocked to the core to hear that Danny Kelly, Radio WM presenter felt that we couldn’t get our chanting going!! As seasoned traders, we had to put the record straight…
The video gets cut short and should finish with ‘ what the council haven’t been able to do in 5!’ I think that you know what she’s talking about!
On behalf of all the traders we would like to say a big thank you to everybody who helped make today a big success and a whole lot of fun!!!!
Representatives from The Wholesale Fresh Produce Association and the Bull Ring Open Market Committee met last week to discuss the current situation facing both the Wholesale Market and the Bull Ring Open Market. Keith Smith and Bernice Ellis decided it was important to draw attention to the decision taken by BCC by peacefully marching from The Bull Ring Market to the Lib Dem Conference taking place this week at The ICC.
Okay, so the plan is to meet at 12.30pm at St Martins Church and march through town to the ICC. Please come and make your voices heard! We want to keep our markets!
Carl Chinn met up with us today in the market to show his support for the traders and to stress the importance of the markets to Birmingham.
We walked around the markets talking to traders about the proposed closure of the Wholesale Markets and the impact that this will have on the markets and small businesses in the area.
I spoke with Pauline who has been shopping in the market since she was a child and is disgusted at Birmingham City Council’s decision to close the Wholesale Markets.
