The move has been partly brought about by trader complaints that some traders were presenting the market in a poor light to our customers with untidy presentation and inconsiderate behaviour. An explanation has been posted on the QVM Traders Hub and a special Trader’s Bulletin distributed over the weekend throughout the market.
Following are the essential elements of the rules to be enforced. Management had discussions with QVMAC Representatives prior to their release.
The top 10 rules are:
• Trading within your stalls – You must trade within your approved stall lines. This includes signage, spreads, the positioning of your product and your fixtures – including storage boxes.
• Storage Boxes – Traders must not leave storage boxes in stalls that are not their own. Photographs will be taken as proof of the offence.
• Vehicles under the sheds – must be parked within your approved area or in an adjoining laneway, or parked off-site, and all vehicles and forklifts under the sheds can only be moved within the approved times.
• Traders in E-shed are required to trade both ways with full stock in view and storage boxes along the sides only.
• Set up and Pack Down – All permanent fixed-location traders must be setting up or ready to trade by QVM advertised customer hours. Pack down is not to be visible to customers before QVM set closing hours, and is to be fully completed 2 hours after closing time. (The only exceptions will apply to traders who have been at the market for more than 50 years and have specific permission, and are accompanied for early exit on special occasions).
• Traders with a PE license are to be present as the merchant / trader on site for the entire trading day as specified in PE agreements. (Any particular issues or special approved absences of an ongoing nature need to be discussed with management).
• Cleanliness – All traders, including stalls and shops, are to respect good housekeeping standards and guidelines. This includes within the stall boundaries and in adjoining public spaces, walkways and service lanes. Hanging signs must be clean.
• Presentation standards – Tarps (used for shelter along the back of stalls that adjoin service lanes), and trestle table covers must not be visible to customers as ripped, frayed or damaged. They must be replaced if they are torn, old, dirty, or holey. Hessian covers for F & V must be replaced periodically. Stallholder awnings must be in good working order, or they will be removed and the cost passed on to the relevant trader. We will speak to the offending traders again one last time before we remove them. The standard and quality of presentation has a big impact and when improved will help attract more customers and encourage them to spend more.
• Overstaying on-street car parking – QVM staff are now authorised by Council to book cars which are illegally parked and will be doing so from this weekend (following ample notice which has been given to offending traders).
• ‘No-shows’ – Any trader who is not expecting to trade on a particular day must notify their box-hire company (if relevant) by 6 pm the day before so that their boxes are NOT delivered to their stall. They must also notify QVM by 6 am on the day so that their stall can be re-allocated.
Have Your Say - click here.
COMMENTS:
03/03/2014 12:13:51 Rules "I agree with this new push to enforce Rules and clean up the Market it is long overdue the market looks tired and run down so do a lot of traders (including us) If we all make an effort we will get results it is not hard to clean up our act and i intend to start on our stall ASAP as for rules I hope the message gets across to those who have no respect for other traders and there are plenty out there. But there are also a lot of very good hard working traders who deserve a better deal than the one they are getting now. " JR E shed