Plan B to save Essenwood market

ONE OF Durbanites’ favourite haunts on a Saturday morning, the Essenwood fleamarket, could be at risk of closing should it not get the support it once enjoyed.

Famous for its breezy ambience under the trees, it was operated by Jennet Brown until a few weeks ago.

Brown said she retired from the business, which she started about 24 years ago, and encouraged the stallholders to rally together and continue trading.

A group of traders, Plan B Essenwood Market, will continue at the site.

Spokesman, Paul Reddy, said he was worried about the future of traders who created items for an income.

“We’ve been traders at the market for about 20 years, and the stallholders are very close. When the market came to a close it was time for someone to take over and so a group of us came together.”

Reddy said they hoped to keep the market open at least up to the end of the Christmas period so that traders could sell the items they had made.

“We encourage people to come to the fleamarket, which we aim to grow and maintain our stay here. There have been some issues which we are working through, but we aim to improve the market to enjoy the support it once had.

“From 70 stalls in previous years, the market has dwindled down to 20 or 30 stalls. We want to change this.”