Roman Road Market has been in the news in the last year with the formation of the Roman Road Team, a number of public meetings and the appearance of shopping guru Mary Portas on the road. All concerned with how to halt the decline of the market and find it a brighter future.
Whilst the Roman Road Team have been have been updating people on their blog, and the Daily Express has featured the controversy around Mary Portas, OurBow.com took to the streets to find out what some of the older people who live and work locally have to say about the market.
Rose Rawlings has lived in the area all her life and remembers a very different market.
Ted remembers it as a place where you knew everybody and everybody knew you.
Brian’s family have been hiring out stalls and barrows to the market for three generations. His grandfather started out in 1920. At one time the market went from early morning to late at night.
Saturdays used to be the big day for selling fish at George’s Plaice
Along with many other people George sees parking as a main issue in the decline of the market.
Ray is a member of the committee, but talks here in a personal capacity. He’s not sure the market should go down the road Mary Portas is advocating and also sees a problem with the stalls hiding the shops on market days.
You can see more of their interviews here: