Lyric Square Farmer's Market Court Battle

Stallholders fighting bid by Council to take over popular market

The fight over the future of Lyric Square's Thursday Farmers' Market is going to court.

City and Country Farmers' Markets is trying to stop Hammersmith and Fulham Council taking over the popular market, which it has been running for over ten years.

H&F Council announced in March it was not renewing its contract with City and Country Farmers' Markets, or CCFM, and would be taking it over from the beginning of April, alongside the Friday market which it already runs.

However, CCFM says it has now obtained a court order allowing it to run the market until October 1 and is considering going for a judicial review.

CCFM's Chris Elder says: "There was no consultation with the council over the decision - they simply sent us a letter giving us two months' notice.

"We brought this market to Hammersmith over ten years ago, and have made it a success by choosing every stallholder ourselves, including some new ones who have joined us this month. We will continue to run the market throughout this legal wrangle."

The company, which also runs seven other markets around London, has launched on online petition and says: " We have started an online petition and would really appreciate you signing it; it take less than a minute and every signature counts!

" Many thanks for your support!"

Chris says the petition has already gathered over 1,000 signatures from local people, both on paper and online.

When the council announced its intention in March, a spokesman called it "simply a business decision."

He added: "The contract with City and Country Farmers' Market lapses on March 31 and is not being renewed because the council believes it can run a better, safer market that pays for its own costs.

"The council already manages North End Road Market and the World Food Market in Lyric Square on Fridays, which is unaffected by this change."

April 29, 2016