Farmers market Marlow boss attacks Wycombe District Council

10:40am Sunday 22nd November 2009

By James Nadal

THE farmers’ market could come to a hasty end just five months after being revived in Marlow due to council bureaucracy, a farmer says.

David Emmett from Hambleden has attacked Wycombe District Council for throwing “every challenge they can think of” and said the run up to Christmas could be make or break.

The market has now been told to take down an advertising banner on the fence of the Dean Street car park, where it is held, because it required planning permission.

The notice which has a WDC logo, had been up since June, when the market re-opened.

Father-of-three Mr Emmett, 60, said: “This is another blow to us, the council seem to throw us every challenge they can think of.

“The councillors, especially leader Lesley Clarke have been supportive, but it’s when we come down to what I call these bureaucrats, they want to dot all the i’s and cross all the t’s.

“We are already losing customers due to the car parking fees on a Sunday – the next few weeks in the run up to Christmas are crucial to the survival of this farmer’s market.”

“Because of this cost structure and other running expenses we are just about break even,” Mr Emmett said.

He said the response from Marlovians had not been as good as he originally hoped.

Mr Emmett is unhappy at what he was told was a £325 bill to put the banner back up and fears customers may assume the market has shut.

However, at the time of going to press WDC said advert consent would cost only £95.

Farmer Bruce Garside, 44, who breeds rare pigs in Hambleden and Skirmett, said: “It would be a big hole in my business, as a weekly income it’s important for us to carry on.”

Theresa Whittle, 55, of Goring Heath, Oxfordshire, was coordinator of the previous farmers market, which closed in summer 2008.

Vendors were unable to afford a fee enforced by Wycombe District Council to use Higginson Park after being forced out of their regular spot at The Causeway due to building work.

Mrs Whittle said it had no longer been financially viable and felt unsupported by WDC.

“I think the fundamental point is that although the local markets have to be self funding they need a lot of support from the council.

Mayor Neil Marshall said he has contacted council officers about Mr Emmett’s concerns and will also speak to council leader Cllr Lesley Clarke.