Battersea and Venn Street markets

Saturday 1 October 2011

I love markets - especially food markets - and I'm lucky enough to have a fair few on my door step in South West London. In fact, I didn't realise quite how many there are until I started seeking them out.

Battersea Food Market

Today, I sniffed out Battersea Food Market. Situated on Battersea High Street, this petite market provides all you need for your weekly food shop (minus a fishmonger). There's even a stall selling fresh coconut juice!




I then headed from Battersea to Clapham and the Venn Street Market to pick up organic tomatoes from Wild Country Organics (more on my obsession with tomatoes tomorrow), some rare breed lamb mince from Garlic Wood Farm, smoked duck breast from award winning chef Thomas Maieli and a Chelsea Bun from The Old Post Office Bakery  - London's longest running organic bakery.

Chelsea Bun from Venn Street Market
I'm not sure my neighbour's poor tired dog appreciated being dragged round Battersea Park and two farmer's markets though...

Food shopping is hard work...

Tomorrow... Electric Avenue and Brixton Farmer's Market!

3 comments:

Francesca said...

Well done in setting up your market stall. It looks fantastic. I really want to do something similar but selling hot sandwiches. Only trouble is, I can't seem to find somewhere to start. The farmers markets turned me down even though I was planning to use organic meat and sustainably sourced fish. I am on the waiting list for Northcote Road but apparently there is at least a years waiting list for Wandsworth Markets. Have you any advice? Also did you do any training to set yourself up as a market trader. Many thanks.

Unknown said...

Hi Francesca. Thanks!

Exciting that you are looking to set a stall up too - it's great fun (but a lot of hard work!)

I think one of the keys is to provide something that no one else is offering so it might be that you have to tailor what you provide based on what the market is missing. Speak to the smaller markets, visit them and see what they don't currently offer their customers.

Have you tried Battersea? Or Oval (St Marks)... not sure if they have a hot sandwich person. If they do, perhaps you could look at diversifying? I know the waiting list for cakes/ sweet things can be years but no one seems to be as keen to do savoury items...

Also have a look at http://www.lfm.org.uk/ the site for London Farmer's Markets and get in touch with all of them to see if there is an opening for anything.

I was lucky in that I had a grant to set myself up which included training. Check in with your local council as they may offer something similar. I'm in Lambeth and they have been so helpful. Not sure what Wandsworth Council is like but they should be supportive of new businesses and offer advice/ help. Good luck and let me know how you get on!

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