Lewes Traders Petition To Get Farmer's Market Returned To High Street

Lewes councillors are set to look at moving the town’s popular farmer’s market back to its original location, following an outcry from traders.

Lewes Farmers Market, held on a Saturday morning twice a month, is currently located in Friars Walk car park. It had previously been held in Cliffe Street Precinct, but was moved during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in an effort to enable social distancing.

In recent months, however, the change has proven to be controversial with the town’s traders, who say the loss of parking spaces is affecting their businesses. 

To raise these concerns, traders based in the Riverside building set up a petition calling on Lewes District Council to move the market back to its original location. 

This petition was briefly discussed at a full council meeting on Monday (September 25), during which lead petitioner Celia Schultz — owner of Poppy’s of Lewes — said:

“Closing a car park on the busiest trading day of the week in the current financial climate … is adding insult to injury for local businesses, especially when the precinct remains available. 

“There are many empty shops in the town already. Surely you don’t want to lose any more.”

After gathering more than 934 signatures, the petition’s calls are now set to be examined by the council’s Policy, Performance and Advisory Committee (PPAC).

Ahead of this, however, several councillors have shared their views on what should come next. 

Speaking at the full council meeting Lewes Bridge councillor Janet Baah (Lib Dem) said:

“While well-intentioned this change has had unintended consequences. The current location has resulted in lost parking spaces, impacting shoppers and disabled residents.

“Moving the market back to the precinct will restore needed parking but also improve the shopping experience and atmosphere that local businesses and customers value so much. 

“I recognise that valid concerns about overcrowding and obstruction have been raised regarding returning to the precinct. No solution will satisfy everyone, however I believe the best way forward is to consult the wider Lewes community and objectively weight the overall benefits and drawbacks.”

During the same meeting, cabinet member for neighbourhood wellbeing Wendy Maples (Green), said:

“I’ve spoken this morning with Ashley Price, who is the president of the chamber of commerce, who of course represents a number of businesses in the Riverside, but also other businesses along the precinct. 

“He and I are both aware that this is not a one-sided matter. There are businesses who would be anxious about the idea of the farmers’ market being returned to the precinct.

“He and I had a very helpful conversation about what some possibilities might be. Whether those are things that might be considered by PPAC I don’t know.

“But I just want you to know that this is not a closed door. This is something I think we need to be looking at the different stakeholders’ interests [and] listening to what people have to say.”