I am not
moving stalls in the upcoming relocation at QVM but I booked a one-on-one
meeting firstly so I could tell traders what it was all about, and secondly
because I had something I wanted to start a conversation with management about.
The meeting
covered the background to renewal, the need for relocation, the impact on
traders, the work that has been done to squeeze everybody in to a smaller
trading area, a likely timetable, and particularly the impact on my business. I
am not required to relocate my stall in K Shed so I am a bit of a spectator to the
whole process although the creation of a full and busy market between J and M
sheds will hopefully be something to look forward to.
Traders who
move will obviously be impacted, particularly those with multiple stalls who
may be required to give up some space so all traders can be accommodated. All
aspects of stall allocation are being considered including corner stalls, above
or below the centre-way, stall size, competitor’s location, and so on. It is possible
that the 5 stall rule will be compromised in some instances.
It was made
clear that no firm commitments need to be made in this initial meeting. There
will be time to consider options and work through issues in subsequent
meetings. It was pointed out that “not liking a spot” was probably not
sufficient grounds for getting another meeting although technical issues with
relocation that had not been envisaged by relocation staff will be addressed.
The
timetable for moves and particularly the trading options in the New Market
Pavilion and String Bean Alley (more containers?) remain unclear as we await
official approval on commencement of construction. However, we have been assured
that all traders will have equal opportunity to apply for the newly created stalls
in those areas once the process starts. It has already been stated that the NMP
will have a theme of Australian Made and Fresh & Seasonal.
These one-on-one
meetings are essentially to manage stall relocations however it was indicated
during the booking process that other issues may be considered. I took the
opportunity to talk about plans for my business in 2018 and the co-operation I would
be seeking from management to achieve those plans. These were noted and will
form the basis for further discussion.
Previous
one-on-one meetings were reviewed favourably by traders as an opportunity for
personalising our involvement at the market. These meetings should produce the
same opportunity. Bookings can be made at https://calendly.com/relocations This first week has been a trial but by the time you read this article you should be able to make bookings through the whole of February.