Chiswick Flower Market To Resume Next Month

Return of event has support of Council and local councillors

Chiswick Flower Market was hailed as a success. Picture: Gwen Shabka

Chiswick Flower Market is to restart on the first Sunday of November.

The October event was cancelled due to safety concerns after an estimated 7,000 people attended the inaugural event in September and there were issues with marshalling and queues.

The organisers say there is a new series of safety protocols in place which will ensure social distancing and limit the risk of Covid-19 infection.

They say they have consulted with Hounslow Council’s Director of Public Health, Kelly O’Neill, scrutinised the government’s Covid regulations and kept an eye on what other markets are doing.

One of the founders of the market, Bridget Osborne said, “We are confident that our Covid preparations are among the best.

“We’ve taken additional steps to make the market as safe as possible by altering the layout, spreading out the stalls more. We’ve changed the queueing system, making it easier to manage should we get big numbers turning up, though we don’t expect as many people as last time.

“Our marshals, all community volunteers, will be assertive in requiring people to wear masks and exercise social distancing both in the queue and in the market itself. Visitors will be expected to use hand sanitiser on entry and we will stop people entering the market to stop it becoming too crowded, if the number of visitors reaches the limit agreed with the council.”

The current legal position is that outdoor events are not restricted to a specific number of attendees and may go ahead provided they have carried out a thorough risk assessment and taken all reasonable steps to mitigate the risk of viral transmission.

There will also be a ‘Tender Perennials’ hour from 8.30-9.30am, for older (70+) and more vulnerable (any age) shoppers to come with a friend to help them without having to queue along with everyone else.

Leader of Hounslow Council, Steve Curran said, “Chiswick Flower Market is a fantastic addition to the borough. Its inaugural market in September was a real success.

“It’s great news to hear that a Covid-secure way has been found for it to go ahead in November, albeit at reduced capacity. I know a lot of work has been carried out by the organisers to bring in proper safety measures, and this has been supported by Council officers. I’d like to say a big thank you to all involved.

“I’ll definitely be going and urge anyone else who does to be responsible, to keep following the national guidelines and be respectful of the measures put in place by the market organisers.”

Leader of Chiswick’s Conservative councillors Gerald McGregor added, “Given the precautions being put in place, the market will be safe and well organised. Providing the weather is good, it will provide traders and visitors with activity and enjoyment”.

There will be an mix of stalls selling live plants, cut flowers (more this time), bulbs, indoor plants and horticultural accessories at Old Market Place (opposite Marks and Spencer) from 9.30am – 3.00pm on Sunday 1 November.

The organisers look forward to welcoming Hardy’s Cottage Garden Plants, who have won no fewer than 24 gold medals at RHS Chelsea Flower Show over the years. They sell live plants, specializing in herbaceous perennials, grown at their nursery in Hampshire, but are also planning to sell bunches of cut flowers.

“We love doing events like this and it will be nice to be back in London, to meet up with some of our customers” says Robert Hardy.

Of particular interest will be their new Anemone ‘Frilly Knickers’, with its romantically ruffled semi-double petals, which they launched at the Hampton Court Flower Show this summer.

Stallholders returning to the market include Steve Burridge and London House Plants’ Vicky Fleming, both well-established Columbia Rd market traders, and new business Urban Tropicana.

Other start-up local businesses at the market include Greenka, selling indoor plants and pots, Lily Matilda, selling bunches of fresh and dried flowers, handmade pottery and garden inspired notebooks and Fiddlefig, selling a variety of indoor plants.

Vanessa Brandon will also be there with her son Jamie, a local tree surgeon. They’ve started a business together selling decorative glass and ceramic spheres and cylinders planted with succulents, cacti and moss. Vanessa was recently made redundant after 20 years in retail.

“Having a stall at the Chiswick Flower market is a fabulous opportunity for us to connect with the public and show people what we do” she said.

Established Chiswick businesses Pot Pourri and W4 Flowers will also be there. W4 Flowers are looking forward to meeting Chiswick customers again, having been shut during the pandemic. They are the longest established flower trader on Chiswick High Road.

October 23, 2020