Farmers market fails to attract support

The Macandrew Rd Wednesday afternoon farmers market is no more. Photo by Gregor Richardson.
The Macandrew Rd Wednesday afternoon farmers market is no more. Photo by Gregor Richardson.
A lack of shoppers and a drop in vendors has resulted in the South Dunedin Farmers market being shut down permanently.

The market, which was held on Wednesday afternoons in Macandrew Rd, opened in November and was an off-shoot of the popular Saturday Otago Farmers Market at the Dunedin Railway Station.

The decision was made at a meeting of vendors, Otago Farmers Market management and trustees on Wednesday.

Otago Farmers Market general manager John More said that after a disappointing start to the market, crowds never built to a level that would make it viable for a large proportion of the vendors.

"Out of the 12 markets held in South Dunedin, only two markets showed any real promise - the opening market and the Wednesday market before Christmas."

Initially, 31 vendors booked into the market but by last Wednesday that number had dropped to 12.

Otago Farmers Market Trust chairman Rodger Whitson said it was hard to pin-point the exact cause of the market's failure.

"It was probably a number of things combined together - both sides didn't support it as good as it could have been."

During the winter months, the trust would look more closely at the causes and consider any future endeavours, Mr Whitson said.

The closure of the Wednesday market would be disappointing to the core group of regular customers and the vendors thanked them for their support.

"While the South Dunedin market has not worked, it does not alter the success of the Saturday farmers market, which continues to go from strength to strength," Mr Whitson said

 

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