The Trustees of Borough Market have tabled an official objection to plans by Vinopolis to set up a new market for wine and related produce, citing an 18th-century act of parliament which bans street trading within 1000 yards of the historic market.
Last month we reported that the owner of Vinopolis, Wine World London plc, has applied to Southwark Council to use part of its new Vinopolis Yard development off Park Street for a new wine and food market, just a few yards away from Borough Market.
Although Vinopolis insists its proposed market of up to 27 stalls will "complement rather than compete with" Borough Market, the charity which runs the historic market doesn't see it the same way.
In a letter to planning officers the market trustees quote from the 1756 act of parliament which established Borough Market on its present site and restricted what could be sold in the surrounding streets.
The act states that "...if any poulterer, country chapman, lader, kidder, victualler, gardener, fruiterer, fish-seller, or any other person or persons, shall sell, utter or put to shew or sale, by way of hawking, or as a hawker, or otherwise, any beef, mutton, lamb, veal, pork, poultry, butter, cheese, fish, fruit, herbs, oatmeal or other victuals, or provision whatsoever, in any private house, lane, alley, inn, warehouse, street, stall, common passage or other place or places whatsoever, within one thousand yards of said Market within the county of Surrey but only in his or her or their own shop or shops or in the public Market place in .. this act described, and in Market time only, every such person thereof convicted … shall for every such offence … pay the sum of forty shillings …"
The trustees' letter continues: "Although we do not seek to enforce the payment of this fine, the existence of the statute is a powerful indication that the intention of Parliament in passing the 1756 act was that the market should be able to operate undisturbed within a reasonable area."
The market trustees also argue that the delivery, cleaning and waste disposal implications of Vinopolis' proposal have not been sufficiently considered. This view is shared by Bankside Residents' Forum which has also objected on these grounds.
"Borough Market is a community market and it is our aim to protect the livelihoods of our traders, the quality of the experience for our shoppers and the long term future of the market," says Keith Davis, the market's newly appointed managing director.
"This is a time of significant development on and in the vicinity of the market estate and we are keen to ensure that all changes should only benefit the wider community.
"Given the further substantial changes to the area which the introduction of a new market would entail; after careful consideration and consultation with Wine World London plc, we do not feel that we can support this planning application in its current form, at this present time."
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