Farmers markets

Where I live in Tunbridge Wells, we have a twice-monthly farmers market, held on a stretch of closed-off road in front of the town hall. And yet Tunbridge Wells has a market square, although a pretty poor one. It was included when the monstrous Royal Victoria Place was developed in the centre of town in an apparent effort to turn Tunbridge Wells into Anytown PLC, UK. Not for one moment am I suggesting that the farmers market move to the market square; the Pantiles would make a far better location as shown be the French, Italian and Christmas markets that are being held there. No, the question arising is why is the market held in the market square twice a week afforded the title "market" when all it sells is out-of-date tinned processed goods, mirrors printed with a picture of Elvis and generally, tat?

I think it is about time Farmers' Markets should reclaim the name "market" from the awful experiences that currently trade under that banner. For isn't a farmers' market what a market should be? Through the rest of Europe, markets are held in town squares and villages; the addition of the word "farmer" isn't even remotely necessary to make it clear that here is an event selling local produce from local suppliers to local people.

So let's reclaim the name "market" to describe the local supply of good food from local suppliers, not let it be wasted on some white-van man selling imitation-brand jeans.