City’s market traders set out their stalls for brighter future
Visitor numbers are falling at Swansea’s iconic indoor market, but what do the traders think? Richard Youle speaks to some of the stallholders about their hopes and fears for the future...
IT is, as Del Boy liked to say, a nice little earner. But the iconic Swansea Market isn’t attracting the volume of shoppers it once did — and the rate of decline seems to be accelerating.
Footfall numbers dropped by 3.5 per cent from January to November last year, compared to 2 per cent and 1.8 per cent in the preceding two years.
However, the automatic counters at the market’s entrances are still triggered more than 12,000 times each day, although shoppers’ spending is not measured.
The indoor attraction has around 110 stalls, but some are empty.
In total, stallholders pay Swansea council just under £1.1m per year to trade there, of which £705,000 was profit in 2016-17. The balance goes on costs, including eight full-time council staff who are based at the venue. The profit goes on other council projects and services.
Rent for each trader is based on the size of the stall and which of four zones it is in.
Council chiefs said the award-winning market was a big asset for the city, and they have been setting aside stallholder rent to further improve its appearance. The view of traders about current conditions and future prospects was mixed.
Butcher Leigh Vaughan, who is also chairman of the Swansea branch of the National Market Traders’ Federation, said: “I have seen big changes. I don’t like to be negative, but Swansea has got many issues.
“My take is that markets were traditionally set up to serve the people of the town or city, not to make a £700,000 profit. Turnover is down, and footfall is dramatically down.
“Many of us are sole traders, and working longer hours for less money. People have come to me saying they have taken a second mortgage to prop things up. I think that has to be recognised.”
Mr Vaughan suggested a farmers’ market once a week or month to fill the centre of the venue.
But Mery Llewellyn, of Thai Taste, which has 10 full and part-time staff, had no complaints.
“We have plenty of customers,” she said.
The indoor market and its eclectic mix of traders recently featured on a four-part BBC One series, which tracked their stories, watched their trade sky-rocket at Christmas and then saw how they adapted to the quiet months after the festive period.
Nearby, Gerwyn Jones, of Greedy Fellas, chatted about how he thought there had been a “massive dip” in footfall this year, and suggested a free parking scheme on Mondays to entice more shoppers.
He said action was needed sooner rather than later, and warned: “I don’t know how long the market will be here.”
Gareth Evans, of greengrocer Get Fresh, said business was pretty solid at present due to the summer fruit season, but that he too had noticed fewer shoppers.
He said reintroducing buses to the fringes of the market could help, and recommended more action to improve “the heart of the city”.
Carol Evans, a partner in Simpsons Butchers, said she believed the market “has really suffered” this year.
“Outside the market it needs to look tidier – it’s shabby,” she said. “People will pay for parking if there are lovely shops. Swansea is going to be very sorry one day because the market won’t be here.”
A nationwide study of 310 markets in 2016 found that 43 per cent were experiencing decreasing footfall, with 40 per cent around the same and 17% reporting an increase.
The overall occupancy was 77%t, compared to 86% for Swansea Market.
Butcher Mr Vaughan said he accepted that other markets had challenges.
“I dare say they do,” he said. “But at the end of the day we have a fantastic market, and we need to keep money in the city.”
The council offers stallholders marketing support but, according to a scrutiny committee report, this has not been taken up.
In the wider scheme of things the Labour administration is behind major plans to regenerate The Kingsway, as well as the St David’s and Civic Centre sites.
And while the council makes a tidy profit from the indoor market, nearly all of it is swallowed up by its city centre budget.
In 2016-17 the council spent £506,400 managing the city centre, paying for staff including four rangers who patrol the streets seven days a week. Business group Swansea Bid covered a quarter of the rangers’ wages.
During the year the council clawed back £170,800 of its city centre management outlay through various fees, rents and contributions.
It also has to save £21m this financial year, on this on top of larger cutbacks in recent years.
A council spokesman said: “We have heavily invested in Swansea Market in recent years and will continue to do so. Examples include a £1.2m project to refurbish the market roof and gable ends, which will help preserve the market for many years to come. This spend equates to nearly double the surplus the market generates in a year.
“We have also agreed to set up an investment fund to further improve the inside of the market, and the market will undoubtedly benefit in coming years from our multi-million pound plans to regenerate the city centre.
“A new multi-media campaign has recently been launched to further raise the profile of the market, and events and activities will continue to be held there to generate more footfall and support market traders.”
He added that given the ongoing budget shortfalls “it makes sense to reinvest any profits from Swansea Market back into council services at this time”.