Firstly, In response to Cellardoor's question, I dont work in Marketing or PR-more's the pity-Its probably be lucrative than the job I do do!
Also I agree with the comment of Farmers markets usually being a huge overpriced let-down.
Stalls selling the same old Chutneys and Jams, overpriced fruit and veg and the odd twee 'handmade' soap stall.
The Horniman market reminds me more of the excellent Farmers markets you get in the USA-fairly priced useful non twee produce.
I'm looking forward to tomorrow-and the coffee!

Agree about the market and coffee beans. The coffee from the kiosk was really good. Googled meantime coffee but no joy so will have to check again next time - unless someone knows what the beans are that they use!

Me, too. And the reason is that there is no Meantime coffee.

It is my fault. I was delirious after that sip a couple of weeks ago. I was seeing things.

It goes to prove that if it is not on the Google, then it does not exist!

Just got back from the Horniman Farmers' Market. My bag is loaded up. Bought another Little Jack Horner's Veggie Sausage Roll. There is a new lady selling flowers. Her flowers were top quality. I've got some of the most interesting flowers I've seen for a long, long time.

Most importantly, I've got the coffee beans.

The reason I thought it was Meantime is that they are using a little chalk board to advertise the coffee bean prices. This comes from Meantime Brewery. Nothing to do with the coffee beans that they are using and selling.

The name of the coffee beans is: Volcano.

Specifically out of the three for sale they are using the "Fullsteam Espresso Blend".

Most days when I head north on the choo-choo trains I get off at Brockley to grab another of those cheeky little macchiatos from the coffee hut call "matchbox" on Brockley's Platform 1. The coffee taste is sensational. It is the first thing I think of each morning. The thought of the taste of it actually gets me out of bed and going in the morning.

This morning I asked the lovely young lady that works there what coffee beans they used.

And, you know where this is going rshdunlop...

UNION!

The big bag the lady showed me didn't have Sumatra Gajah Mountain but it did have Union. It was a purple-y colour.

I am such a Union boy now.

The purple ones are their organic range - lots of different bean in the purple bags. I've tried different Union beans and the Sumatra ones are defo my favourites. I like my coffee really strong, but also smooth. These hit the spot.

A weeks worth of veges for £5.20, a pretty bloody good pork and smoke chilli sausage roll, I nice lump of silversilde which we jsut hovered down and some cake which I plan on scoffing in a few minutes! I cant really complain about it at all!!

Hey guys how would you feel if the market was fortnightly or monthly. Just a thought because Dartmouth Road traders are struggling that much since it started. Today my profits were down 75% and It was Golden Ticket weekend. Myself, Aga's Deli and more might have to close if this continues until xmas. We can sustain 4 to 6 weeks but not 3 months. I have sent an urgent email to traders tonight including the Horniman to see if we can find a way for it to work for everyone. Otherwise Dartmouth Road will be full of closed shops again after we all spent lots on shopfits to make it a great place.

Sorry to hear about this.

The Butchery have set out a table up there.

Your shop?

I've never seen so many kids up there.

You'd clean up. Local Dentists will make a fortune sometime down the line.

I'd run it for you.

Cellar door I'm not able to have a stall as sweets don't fit the criteria.

I like having the market as a weekly thing as it is right next to my house. I go for vegetables, fruit, bread and eggs so the financial loss has been Sainsbury's, rather than any of the shops in Dartmouth Road, as that's where I used to buy those foodstuffs.

Could more shops follow the example of the Butchery and set up stalls? Maybe the Horniman would make an exception on sweets as you're local?

I think it would also make sense if there was something at the market to alert non locals to the shops on Dartmouth Road so they'd see more of Forest Hill.

I went along last week to look at the bread and veg but won't pay £2.50 for a baguette and none of the veg I looked at had any prices on. I don't tend to go up Dartmouth Road unless I'm going swimming - the narrow road and heavy traffic is very off putting. I don't know what the answer is to make the road more attractive to pedestrians

I am on my first break this year for 2 days only and promised myself I would forget about work, but I can't as I am so worried about Dartmouth Road traders. Poppy Dartmouth Road was thriving before the Horniman market started. Now we have no footfall. Take a walk along the road to see what we have to offer.

Might I add before I relax that most traders are not local and these are just the one's I could find out about. Wild County Organics are from SE Cambridge. Bumbletye Fruit Farm are from Sussex, Manor Farm Shops are from linconshire and All things saucy are from Greenwich. That doesn't seem local to me. Sure locals could provide similar produce if asked. I'll also add that The Butchery and Mr Muffin are local and hope they are doing well!

Yes, I'll probably be in everyone's bad book's again, but honesty is the best policy!

So sorry to hear how much effect the market is having on our beloved local businesses.
We went to the farmers market at about 10.30am and then visited Dartmouth road in the afternoon, stopping for coffee in The Montage.
I dont really understand why people are not making what is, after all a short downhill walk to visit Dartmouth road.
The only shop who has lost out by us going to the Farmers market is probably Sainsburys, as we now get almost all our veg and salads there.
I'd be gutted if it cut down to once a month or fortnightly, as it would mean I then need to travel to Lordship Lane or Borough market to get the veg I need.
How about if the market moved to a sunday morning? that may work for both sides as lets be honest-not much happens on a sunday morning.

Nottinghillbilly if only everyone thought like you we wouldn't be worried.

I'm actually having a 2 day spa break (only holiday in yr and half) at the moment but D Rd is more important to me than a break. My thoughts are splitting the market to pockets in the area to make it work for everyone. Horniman, large pavement outside Mirror Mirror on London Rd, Station cae park, outside job centre, then outside pools. Think this might work and benefit everyone.

The market is great - especially the fruit and veg. As someone who doesn't shop as much in forest hill (am in hop), it has encouraged and reminded me to pop over to the other side of the tracks! from my perspective ocado and Sainsburys are the losers!

The market seems to be going down incredibly well. The impact on local business is not good and I am amazed that people cant be bothered to walk a very small distance! However isnt it better to address this by working out how to make them work together? For example - would it be possible to find out how to get more local stalls, including sweets, to be part of the market? If they are currently not allowed is there a way to appeal? It would be a shame to cancel something that people are obviously enjoying that is bringing people to the area that might otherwise go elsewhere.

Now I will probably look like that bad person for being honest but, REALLY, farmers market causing the Dartmouth Road shop problems?

I've been to the market a few times and think it's a great idea esp if that's what the locals want. I find it more welcoming than some of the shops on Dartmouth Road and if I want sweets, esp retro sweets, I'll go and get some sweets not think, right I've been to the market I don't need to go anywhere esp if I need other stuff!

I like the idea of going for a walk up to Hornimans with my young daughter. Maybe buying something at the market if I see something that I like and then taking her for a walk round the gardens, to see the animals and to play with the outdoor musical instruments, so the whole 2 birds with 1 stone springs to mind.

Before anyone asks if I 'work' for the market, nope, been living in this area for most of my life

Bad Denfra. You bad, bad person, you.


I’m with you on this one.

P1971 and others along Dartmouth Road appear to have a bit of a competition problem. I suppose one way to fight the competition is to reduce their effectiveness.

I’m wondering if all the Bird in Hand customers are up there, too, on a Saturday enjoying the delights of the market?

If someone were to open a stall with a few well priced kegs flowing, then I’ll pop along to that bit as well. (Mine’s a Carlsberg, if anyone’s asking? But it has to be cheaper than £2.15 as that is The Capitol’s price. And you won’t get me shifting my drinking regime to the top of the hill for anything less!)

There is a unfortunate irony in this thread.

Back in September, P1971’s post #4 above had her helping her neighbour Lee, the organiser of the Horniman Farmers’ Market, find someone to take on the fish/seafood stall. Now, this very market that P1971 was helping with has had it bite into her P&L. (That’s an irony, isn’t it? As a foreigner I’m useless at detecting them as a general rule.)

Oh, star’s post just above is as brilliant as this new brilliant Horniman Farmers’ Market. Thank you also for that thoughtful post, star.

(I hope that P1971 is enjoying her 2 day spa break. That appears to be what is most needed right now. I also hope that when she returns that a new fresh perspective emerges. I’m feeling into starting my own business and P1971’s posts on Sunday evening and Monday morning are a salient reminder of the downside of this very thing that I’m looking at. Best of luck, P1971.)

This post was last modified: 29-10-2013 05:59 PM by Cellar Door.

Im so glad the market is finally here in se23! The fresh vegs are amazing, so so glad we can finally get nice fresh veg. Oh and the fishmonger. They are precisely what we need in se23! So yes, i will def make my weekly trip there to stock up on my greens.

And in regards to taking business away from dortmouth rd, it certainly is not the case from my household. Instead we spend more locally, as we'll grab lunch and coffee in the area when previously, we would have just gone out for a day out elsewhere.

I really hope the farmers market is here to stay!