Farmers’ market returning to Greenwich

Greenwich will once again play host to a farmers’ market as of next month.

City & Country Farmers’ Markets are returning to Greenwich in October with a new location right in the heart of the town centre.

The traders will set up their stalls in Durnford Street, between Greenwich Market and Greenwich Church Street.

The announcement was made on City & Country Farmers’ Markets’ Facebook page.

The organisers commented:

“We looked at various venues and found nothing suitable – but then Greenwich Market contacts us and offered us … the location! We were initally a little uncertain as central Greenwich is a touristy area, however we have a great deal of support from locals as well as a prime location so are very confident it will work.”

Previous attempts to launch the market at East Greenwich Pleasaunce and at Halstow School proved to be unsuccessful.

Lara Ruffle from East Greenwich regularly attended the market at Halstow School and welcomes the news:

“I am very pleased to see that CCFM are returning to Greenwich. We are lacking in a farmers’ market and I was disappointed when the Halstow School site didn’t work out. Hopefully this fabulous central location will mean the market is here to stay

The new farmers’ market in Durnford Street begins on the weekend of October 15th and 16th.

Ms Cupcake mystified over market axe

Popular Greenwich Market trader, Ms Cupcake, has been left devastated after being told by market bosses she can no longer trade at weekends.

The baker, who promises “the naughtiest vegan cakes in town”, had hoped to carry on trading at Greenwich Market whilst also expanding the business into new premises at Brixton Market.

An email from market bosses assured her that if she did “decide to open elsewhere we would be more than happy for you to continue with your stall on the market for whichever days you wished to trade.”

Earlier this month, business owner Mellissa Morgan announced her expansion plans – only to get the shock news that Greenwich Market was axeing her from her weekend pitch.

“Ms Cupcake” says the decision will have “huge financial repercussions” for her business and that she will no longer be able to recruit five new members of staff she had planned to.

“All we have ever done is promote Greenwich and the market and loved every minute we were there. This is the biggest slap in the face I could ever imagine”, she said.

Regular customer, Daren Clarke, told Greenwich.co.uk:

“I really don’t understand why a thriving, vibrant stall such as this is having its hours cut in such a drastic and, dare I say, draconian way. Only being allowed to trade on a Friday, and having your regular customers from the usual Saturday and Sunday markets deprived of their ‘fix’, seems very short sighted on the behalf of the powers that be.”

Paul Turton, manager of Greenwich Hospital’s commercial estate, commented:

“Because of the ongoing review of the food stalls at the market, we decided to revert to the pre-November trading pattern which allows Ms Cupcake in the week and Ruby Tuesday [who also sells vegan cupcakes] at the weekend.”

Ms Cupcake will be opening the new Brixton shop in April – get more information about that and where she will be trading until then at her website.

Greenwich.co.uk understands that the shock plan to cut the number of food stalls which was announced to traders last summer may not now be proceeding as originally planned.

The proposal, which provoked an angry response from traders, to reduce the number of hot food stalls within the market and to move those remaining into a retail unit is being reviewed by Greenwich Hospital.

Controversial Greenwich Market redevelopment gets the go-ahead

Controversial plans to redevelop Greenwich Market and build a new boutique hotel have been given the green light.

The proposals were orgininally rejected unanimously by councillors on the Greenwich Council Planning Board but landowners, Greenwich Hospital took their revised plans to a public appeal.

Following a public inquiry, with hearings held at Woolwich Town Hall last September, the planning inspector has recommended that permission be granted. His conclusions have now been backed by Local Government Secretary of State, Eric Pickles.

The Planning Inspector considered both the original application and the revised scheme, designed by Hopkins Architects, put forward by Greenwich Hospital. He agreed with many of the objections to the original proposals and stated that they would have been harmful to the character and appearance of the conservation area.

But in looking at the the revised plans, which dropped plans for a canopy roof and retain the market’s cobbles, the Inspector concludes that the “universal value, integrity and authenticity of the World Heritage Site” would be conserved by the regeneration. He adds that the scheme would “preserve the setting of nearby listed buildings”.

The banana warehouse and stable buildings in Durnford Street will be demolished as part of the revamp. The inspector admits they have a “degree of charm and character” but points out listed building building consent for their demolition has already been granted.

The 99 bedroom hotel, split across two buildings with the market in between, will be run by Bespoke Hotels, who also operate the Bermondsey Square Hotel, and is expected to create 86 full-time-equivalent jobs.

A new crescent street will be created leading from Durnford Street to the market which the inspector describes as as “imaginative and acceptable additional chapter in the market area’s evolution” that would provide “variety and interest”.

The redevelopment of the market, which has been strongly supported by the Greenwich Society and local MP, Nick Raynsford, will not begin until January 2013 at the earliest and traders will move to a new temporary market at Monument Gardens whilst the redevelopment is undertaken.

Martin Sands, Director of Greenwich Hospital, welcomed the news as a “a positive result for Greenwich Hospital and for the centre of Greenwich.” He added, “The Hospital believes that the approved scheme, which includes minor amendments, will maintain the character and atmosphere of the current market within a refurbished environment.”

Speaking to Greenwich.co.uk, Nick Raynsford MP said he was “delighted that consent has been given”. Although a supporter of the original application, he praised Greenwich Hospital for its “pragmatic decision” to “amend the scheme in response to genuine concern.”. He added that the redevelopment would “protect and ensure the long term future of the market”.

The Chair of Greenwich Council’s Planning Board, Cllr Ray Walker, has hit out at the decision and labelled the development as a “scheme totally out of keeping with the history and architecture of Greenwich Town Centre … which simply is not of a sufficiently high standard for a World Heritage Site.” He attacked the Government’s decision to back the scheme and their pledge towards greater “localism” carried “little actual meaning.”

For critics of the scheme, options to fight the ruling are limited to an appeal in the High Court or a Judicial Review. Ray Crudgington, head of Commercial Property and Managing Partner at Grant Saw Solicitors LLP in Greenwich commented, “I suspect this decision will be very, very, difficult and expensive to appeal against.”

Once built, the Greenwich Market Hotel will be operated by Bespoke Hotels.

REACTION IN FULL

Martin Sands, Director of Greenwich Hospital

This is a positive result for Greenwich Hospital and for the centre of Greenwich. The Hospital believes that the approved scheme, which includes minor amendments, will maintain the character and atmosphere of the current market within a refurbished environment. This decision recognises the standard of design employed by Hopkins Architects and their success in creating a scheme that responds to the constraints of the site yet remains sympathetic to the surrounding architecture.

Greenwich Hospital will consider the detail of the consent granted with its professional advisers to decide how best to take matters forward. In any event Greenwich Hospital will not consider starting the market regeneration before January 2013, following the first Christmas after the Olympics.

More immediately, Greenwich Hospital will continue working with Greenwich stakeholders, traders, retailers, Greenwich Council and all those involved in
the future of Greenwich, to make the market and Greenwich a continuing success, particularly in the key pre Olympic period

We will also continue promoting the market and the town centre working with our retail PR consultant, to communicate the unique shops and market
stalls in Greenwich to key local, regional and national lifestyle and shopping editors, as well as promoting the seasonal events that Greenwich Market hosts
for the local community.

Our programme of planned maintenance will continue this year as planned with the redecoration of the Hospital’s properties in Greenwich Church Street and all other refurbishment projects will continue as planned.

We will continue to work alongside Greenwich stakeholders who maintain a close interest in the town centre. Greenwich Hospital will continue to be
fully engaged in the future of Greenwich. In fact, it is very much business as normal”.

Councillor Ray Walker, Chair of Greenwich Council’s Planning Board

“It is regrettable that the new Secretary of State, apparently pledged to a greater degree of localism, has chosen to overturn the unanimous decision of the Council to reject the planning application for Greenwich Market. Localism is a word which seems to be increasingly deployed but carries very little actual meaning for the Government. This appeal gives the green light to a scheme totally out of keeping with the history and architecture of Greenwich Town Centre and which simply is not of a sufficiently high standard for a World Heritage Site. It is particularly unfortunate that the application will permit the Greenwich Hospital Estate to demolish the heart of Greenwich Town Centre just as we have shown off all its charms to the millions of visitors in 2012 and who, instead of being encouraged to return, will avoid the building site that the Greenwich Hospital Estate will turn the town into”.

SEE ALSO

Reaction from 853
Reaction from the Greenwich Phantom

FULL DECISION NOTICE

11-01-19 3-in-1 Greenwich Market

Daily Photo: 26/11/2010 – Christmas arrives at Greenwich Market

Father Christmas was the star guest at Wednesday afternoon’s Christmas “Light’s On” event at Greenwich Market. Kids from local schools took part in a lantern parade followed by Christmas carols in the covered market. Here’s a selection of official photographs from the event.

Something, or someone, seems to have caught Santa’s eye in this. Feel free to volunteer your own captions!

Emergency services called to chemical incident in Greenwich

For around two hours on Sunday afternoon Greenwich town centre was eerily free of traffic as emergency service units descended on the Admiral Hardy pub on College Approach.

At around 2.50 pm Creek Road was closed between the Norman Road junction and Greenwich Town Centre. College Approach was also closed as around six fire crews, an incident support unit and a scientific support unit attended a chemical incident at the Admiral Hardy public house.

Metropolitan Police and the London Ambulance service also attended the scene in volume.

The London Ambulance service received the first report at 2.20 PM with a single responder and hazardous area response team attending first. Four adult males were assessed on scene for inhalation of fumes and were transported in a single ambulance to Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Woolwich, for further assessment.

A spokesperson for the London Fire Brigade confirmed that an unknown quantity of floor cleaner and bleach had been mixed and firefighters attended the scene with specialist detection equipment but did not find any elevated levels of a dangerous chemical. College Approach and Creek Road reopened at 4.30 PM.

Andrew Gilligan: Market Inquiry: Is It Just A Stitch-Up?

Even before the public inquiry into Greenwich Market has finished, the developers who want to knock it down are behaving as if they’ve won.

Look on the website of Bespoke Hotels, the operator of the hotel proposed to replace the existing market buildings – and you will see them describing it as a fait accompli: “Greenwich Market Hotel is set to open in 2013 and will be the centrepiece of the total redevelopment of the market square,” the website says. “The new boutique property… will replace a block of buildings on the eastern edge of the market and will include an additional bedroom block on the upper floors in a new purpose-built property at the centre of the market.”

That raises the serious question of whether the inquiry – with its two weeks of hearings, its mountains of paperwork, its expensive lawyers – is merely a charade. Do Bespoke Hotels know something we don’t? Has a whisper been passed?

Until this disturbing development, opponents of the scheme seemed to have had the better of it at the inquiry. Massed ranks of councillors from all parties lined up to oppose the scheme – one, Maureen O’Mara, saying that it would “tear the heart out of Greenwich.” The council, true to its original, unanimous vote against the plans, has committed resources and people to fight the case that the development should not happen.

Transport – something first identified by this blog – has emerged as a key issue, with the inspector questioning why the developers had submitted no travel plan, as they were asked to by Transport for London, to back up their absurd claim that the new hotel would create no more than 16 extra journeys in the peak hour – with almost all of those people travelling by public transport. Guests arriving at luxury hotels with heavy luggage do not, of course, come by public transport – and there will be up to 200 of them staying each night, not to mention deliveries, staff, restaurant visitors, and so on.

The hotel’s main entrance will be in the middle of the one-way system, causing enormous disruption to traffic as coaches, taxis and cars drop off guests. A new transport objection may be that the hotel’s existence would sabotage the council’s plans to pedestrianise part of the one-way system. That, however, is a much less good argument. Not only would any pedestrianisation scheme be a mistake in itself, but it might actually solve the transport problems caused by the hotel – which could be served without disruption by turning King William Walk into a hotel-only access spur.

Much better to concentrate on the dozens of ways in which the development breaches the council’s own planning policy – the Unitary Development Plan – and the at least two ways it breaches national planning policy guidance.

Interesting, too, that the council’s barrister has focused on the developers’ somewhat sharp practice in reporting the results of its public consultation. As we have noted in the past, true to the finest traditions of “nonsultation,” a large number of respondents who in fact raised significant objections to the proposed design were counted as supporters by the developers. Another piece of alleged manipulation brought up at the inquiry was the developers’ selective use of photographs in their planning application to make the new scheme look more acceptable than it is. Bespoke Hotels describes its new concrete slab as “brimful of character,” which is a pretty clear indicator of the mindset we’re dealing with.

As well as the council and councillors, the objectors included dozens of local residents. Perhaps most interestingly, the developers’ changes to the scheme appear not to have convinced any of the original objectors. The Government’s heritage watchdog, the Commission on Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE), said the revised scheme was still ‘alien’ and the scale of the proposed hotel still ‘dominating.’
While the retention and refurbishment in amended design of the existing roof in place of the previously proposed canopy roof was welcomed, CABE remained concerned that the relationship between the roof and the proposed cantilevering building was still not ‘fully resolved’.

The circular layout of the new central block, CABE said, did not address the needs of the proposed retail units, and along with the amount of hotel accommodation, appeared ‘alien’ in the context of the existing market.

It all sounds quite promising – but then there’s that worrying confidence of the developers. Let’s hope they’re just getting ahead of themselves – and that their arrogance may, as it has all along, prove counterproductive. But there’s still the distinct possibility that this is all a stitch-up.

“Character and potential historic significance” of market revamp praised

The proposed Greenwich Market redesign would see new buildings of “character and potential historic significance”, a planning inquiry heard today.

That was the verdict of Dr Jonathan Edis who was called as a professional witness by Greenwich Hospital.

Dr Edis said that the market buildings dating from the 1950s do not “really hang together” with the rest of the market and are “not worthy of preservation”. He added that the scheme would see “no loss of significance” and would instead create an “attractive way of drawing people into a new and vibrant space”.

He was asked if he knew why Bespoke Hotels, the selected operator for the hotel if it gets the green light, had produced a web page advertising the hotel including “an alfresco restaurant-bar set amidst the cobbled courtyard” but Dr Edis said he had no knowledge of that.

The lawyer representing the council suggested to Dr Ediz that in his written submissions he had tried to “create an argument” with the council’s Senior Conservation Officer, Rebecca Duncan, and he was in fact a “hired gun”.

Dr Edis is a former local authority conservation officer himself and now runs his own cultural heritage consultancy.

Other developments from the inquiry’s fifth day included the Planning Inspector announcing that he will make his own unaccompanied visit to the market on Saturday. The inquiry schedule includes an accompanied visit on Thursday but market trader, Kate Jaconello, suggested earlier in the week that he visit at a weekend which he has now agreed to do.

The inquiry continues at the town hall on Wednesday, the site visit due to take place on Thursday and closing submissions on Friday.

Market redevelopment would “rip the heart out of Greenwich”, councillor tells inquiry

Proposals to redevelop Greenwich Market will “rip the heart ouf of Greenwich”, a local councillor told an independent public inquiry into the market’s fate today.

Cllr Maureen O’Mara (Labour, Greenwich West) said that the market is a “well loved part of London” and that it would be a “disgrace to allow it to be destroyed”.

The councillor has served on the Greenwich Area Planning Committee since 1998 and was the Chair of the Borough Wide Planning Board between 2002. She explained that she had originally been involved in the Key Stakeholder Group that was discussing plans for the redevelopment but that she pulled out when she saw the scope of their plans.

She said that the Market owners, Greenwich Hospital, have never shown “any understanding or interest in the impact of their proposals on this sensitive location”.

Cllr O’Mara ended her comments to the inquiry, which started on Tuesday and is now in its third day, by requesting that the Secretary of State for Local Government, who has the final say, reject the appeal.

The afternoon’s session was mostly taken up by questioning of Greenwich Council’s Chief Planning Officer, Fred Brown.

Mr Brown acknowledged that the Greenwich Market site “needs investment” and conceded that the development had the “potential” to bring benefits, such as additional employment, but said there was a “question mark” over whether the changes would benefit residents and traders.

He said that the proposed boutique hotel “would not fill a gap” as there were other high quality hotels in Greenwich, specifically citing the Devonport Hotel and the Novotel, and more hotels were already planned.

He was questioned by Greenwich Hospital’s QC, Neil King, about the support for the scheme from local MP Nick Raynsford, the Greenwich Society, the University of Greenwich and ICOMOS (International Council on Monuments and Sites).

When asked about Nick Raynsford’s support for the scheme, Mr Brown commented that “Mr Raynsford is not an architect, he’s not an urban planner so is not qualified to make those judgements”.

Mr King QC seized on that and asked Mr Brown if indeed he was a qualified architect or urban planner either.

“No”, replied Mr Brown, although he did point out his experience of over twenty years in managing planning departments.

The inquiry continues on Friday and from Tuesday to Friday next week.

Greenwich Market public inquiry set to begin

An independent planning inquiry into the redevelopment of Greenwich Market will begin tomorrow (Tuesday).

The plan to revamp the market and build a 100-bedroom hotel was first rejected by Greenwich Council last year, and they reaffirmed their opposition just last week.

Owners of the market, Greenwich Hospital, have appealed that decision the independent Planning Inspectorate will be conducting an inquiry before making a recommendation on the market’s fate to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government.

The inquiry will begin tomorrow at Woolwich Town Hall and will run until this Friday and then continue next week between Tuesday and Friday.

Greenwich West councillors, who protested last month outside the market, will be staging another demonstration outside the town hall as the inquiry gets under way tomorrow.

Andrew Gilligan: Small Shops Under New Threat As Sainsbury’s Comes To Town

Greenwich town centre is to get a new Sainsbury’s supermarket, triggering a potential new threat to the town’s remaining independent shops.

The motorbike accessories store in the same Greenwich High Road block as the existing Co-op is closing down. On its windows are statutory notices announcing that Sainsbury’s is applying for an alcohol licence for the premises. The new store – about the same size as the Co-op by the looks of the site – will be the third new supermarket chain to open in recent years, after the M&S Simply Food at the Cutty Sark and the Tesco Metro on Trafalgar Road.

The post-Tesco fate of the other shops on Trafalgar Road – closure for some, reduced business for many – could be a worrying portent of the future. The new Sainsbury’s will be within a minute’s walk of Greenwich’s main cluster of independent food shops – the greengrocer, butcher, cheese shop, fishmonger and general grocery on Royal Hill.

True, these places have managed to cope with the Co-op, for years. But Sainsbury’s stock is likely be more directly competitive with them – more fresh food, more bourgeois comforts and more upmarket stuff than the Co-op – meaning that it’s a more serious threat.

And the competition between the two neighbouring supermarkets may also (temporarily) drive down prices on the basics and staples to an extent which damages Royal Hill. I found last year that the prices of the Royal Hill shops were suprisingly competitive with the Co-op (then Somerfield). If both of the retail behemoths are prepared to sell things at a loss as they battle it out, however, it seems unlikely that the smaller players will be able to compete on price. That could do them great damage.

At the same time, perhaps the most consuming retail issue in Greenwich – the fate of the market – is about to come to a head. Planning permission for Greenwich Hospital’s hateful scheme to knock down the market was refused exactly a year ago. But the Hospital’s appeal against the decision will be heard by a planning inspector at a public inquiry between September 7th and 17th.

Greenwich Hospital’s changes to the scheme – principally keeping, though reglazing, the roof – don’t seem to have convinced anyone. The existing shops will still be demolished and the number of stalls, and the food court, reduced. The site will be dominated by a 100-bedroom hotel.

On Sunday, as we covered on the site, there was a demo against the plans, with the three local councillors handing out leaflets claiming that even the revised proposals “will see the end of Greenwich Market as we know it.” This is true – because the cost of the redevelopment will almost certainly mean that the Hospital will have to raise the rents to a level beyond that which the existing independent traders can afford. Hays Galleria or Spitalfields, next stop!

The cynical view is that the tourists won’t be able to tell the difference. But of course they will – and we most certainly will. The market was so rammed this weekend that, to the rage of passing motorists, the demonstrators had to stand in the road. If it’s turned into a feeble appendage of a 100-room hotel, with added chain-stores, it won’t be anything like as much of a draw to the town.

As well as the local councillors, the influential Commission on Architecture and the Built Environment – the Government’s design standards watchdog- has attacked the revised scheme. In their response to the planning inspector, CABE said the new plans were still ‘alien.” They criticised the proposed layout of the market, the ‘dominating’ scale of the boutique hotel and the detailing of the glazed roof.

They branded as “awkward” the proposed new route from Greenwich Church Street into the market. And they said that the relationship between the roof and the proposed new buildings on either side was still not “fully resolved.”

I’ll be covering the saga of the market and the public inquiry in more detail within the next two weeks. But we should look at the onward march of the supermarkets – a Waitrose and a further Tesco are also rumoured – with just as much alarm.

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