New Bid to Hold Monthly Street Food Market
Richard Johnson makes another attempt to obtain licence
Richard Johnson pitching his street food concept to the Dragons. Picture: BBC
June 25, 2023
Another attempt is being made to set up a monthly street food market in the centre of Chiswick.
Richard Johnson vowed to try again when an application to Hounslow Council for a licence to run the event on every fourth Sunday of the month failed in March.
At the time he claimed that the Licensing Panel had rejected the plan for the market, which was to be held in the car park in front of the former polices, due to a ‘couple of technicalities’.
The original bid attracted 12 objections and three comments in favour. Most of the opposition to his proposal was on the basis of unfair competition for existing cafes and restaurants in the area which have to pay a large rates bill. Supporters of the application including the manage of Borough Kitchen said that, like other markets, would boost footfall on the High Road benefitting all traders.
One local restaurant manager contacted us to say, "Although the benefits of the other markets are often overstated, there is a pick up in trade for us on market days particularly when the weather is good. That obviously won't be the case for a food market which will take customers away from us. I appreciate that the councillors on the panel may be constrained in what they can take into account when making their ruling but the broader context is that, time and time again, council decision bear negatively on our sector which is already struggling. The health of local independent businesses is a very low priority for Hounslow Council, they simply never listen to what we say."
The market, if approved would have 64 pitches from 137 to 209 Chiswick High Road roughly the area known as Old Market Place.
Mr Johnson is a journalist and entrepreneur in the field of street food markets. Earlier this year he appeared on Dragons’ Den but failed to persuade any of the dragons to back his street food related idea.
We asked him why he felt that his application would succeed this time and he just replied, “Fingers crossed.”
Comments on the application can be made to licensing@hounslow.gov.uk up until Sunday 2 July.
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