Market hours now up in the air
A possible back-track on reducing the operating hours of the Christchurch Farmers’ Market could be on the cards.
After The Press reported that stallholders felt angry, frustrated, and disappointed that the market’s hours of operation would be reduced by one hour to finish at noon from the start of March, a meeting was held after Saturday’s market to discuss its future.
The Riccarton House and Bush site was bustling with market-goers as usual over the weekend while operating its normal four hour window between 9am and 1pm.
Each Saturday the market attracts thousands of people.
The Press staff who visited over different periods of the day, said that it had quietened after midday and between 5-10 stalls, mostly selling breakfast items and baked goods, had already closed.
One of those closed stall staff, who did not want to give their name, said the change in hours wouldn’t affect them because they were normally sold out by lunchtime, but they felt for the “ready to eat” businesses who were selling more hearty foods.
More than 30 stalls selling a range of fruit and veg, flowers, olives, meats and meals remained open after midday, and noticeably a crowd of tourists and families made up the majority.
The Chari family were one of those enjoying a picnic. Mum Rucha and dad Rahul said they visit the market about once a month and preferred to take their time.
Their normal routine involves buying some produce and sitting down on the lawn while the kids played, before inevitably their daughter Ruhi’s hunger would kick in and they would head back into the market to find something to eat.
“The market is great but it's not just the market, it's the setting too, with the (tree) canopy and the kids being able to run around,” Rucha Chari said.
Regular market attendees and friends Amy and Fai, who did not give their last names, were also having a picnic lunch on the lawn – something they do a couple of times a month.
Fai said she normally arrives around 11.30am to picnic on the lawn with market food after a night shift. She probably wouldn't come anymore if the market were to close earlier which would be a shame, she said. She noted how many people were still strolling around enjoying themselves.
The Press understands a meeting between the market manager and three stallholder representatives took place after Saturday’s market.
The word among the stallholders was that a decision on operating hours was yet to be confirmed, and there was still a possibility they could remain the same, which many have called for.
Operating hours were “being negotiated” and stalls were expected to be informed of the outcome within the coming days, an anonymous stallholder said.
“At the end of the day, it’s a really great event, it brings people together to get great food and drink that you can’t get in other places often, and taking away the hours just makes it that much harder [to put on],” they said.
The team of stallholders and organisers were in open communication talks “trying to move forward positively”.
Market manager Sam Marchant declined to comment and reiterated he was still in discussions with stallholders.
The Christchurch Farmers’ Market Facebook page has since replaced its cover image that previously promoted the new trading hours coming in place this weekend, but its public announcement of the change remains online.