At the
recent World Union of Wholesale Markets Congress in Melbourne, three
international markets (Pike Place, Burrough Market, Rotterdam Market) said that
parts of their market experienced sales upturn during renewal construction and
a number of their traders prospered.
Hopefully
the whole of QVM will have that experience but one of the best spots to
experience customer focus is likely to be the $5m New Market Pavilion to be
constructed in Queen St. early next year, and there are 22 spots up for grabs
for General Merchandise Traders. The NMP is designed to ease the squeeze in the
top end as construction starts on the underground facilities under A-D Sheds.
Expressions of
Interest will be invited from current traders in Sheds A-M and on Queen Street
and at Tuesday’s Engagement session some of the details were released.
1. Only traders in A-M and Queen St.
will be accepted into the pavilion. It is expected that there will be 22 General
Merchandise and 8 Fruit & Vegetable Traders.
2. There are two key criteria – Fresh &
Seasonal and Aussie Made. Applicants will need to fit into either of those
categories. Management actually encourage traders to come up with new ideas for
Aussie Made content if that is not already in their offer.
3. Licences for GM are expected to
operate for 12 months so that the pavilion content can be reviewed each year (a
bit like the night market). Fruit & Vegetable licences will operate until
the underground is completed.
4. Traders who decide not to continue in
the pavilion or are not offered a new pavilion license will be guaranteed a
spot back under the sheds.
5. This is not an opportunity to set up
an additional stall. Due to space
restrictions, successful pavilion traders will need to give up their spot under
the sheds while in the pavilion.
6. It is hoped that the pavilion will
operate during the Wednesday Night market and strong consideration is also
being given to a Thursday Night Market.
7. The pavilion will be a showcase for
what is best about QVM and offer enhanced display facilities for traders (a bit
like the Therry St. Marquee a few years back).
Expressions
of Interest for the NMP will open on Monday 27th November and close
on 18th January 2018. Further details will become available during
November.
Have Your Say – click here.
