A petition signed by a man who has shopped at the Kingsland Waste market for 88 years has been handed into Hackney Council, calling on them to renew trading licences at the historical Dalston market.
More than 400 signatories – including that of lifelong fan Willy Bremmer, 92, want the council to support the market where second hand goods are sold in Kingsland Road, Dalston, on a Saturday.
Market supporter and nearby resident Lila James who organised the petition said: “It’s our last East End market in the whole of London, people talk about up-cycling but the Waste been doing the whole recycling thing from the year dot.
It’s given the pet name waste because of the saying “waste not want not”.
“If you have just 50p in your pocket you can go there and buy something, it’s ahead of its game, it’s even cheaper than a church shop.”
“It’s one of London’s hidden gems that should be cherished and celebrated, the beauty of the waste is it’s not price restrictive, it caters to everyone in Hackney.
“What the council is saying is that they are refreshing it, but if you look at the market reports from 2010 the council has had it in for Kingsland Waste, they haven’t engaged with the traders, they spent £30,000 on a consultation about markets, but didn’t speak to anyone there.”
Traders with temporary licences were told last October by the council their licences would no longer be renewed in March when they expire due to the ‘excessive waste’ generated by the market. There are just three temporary and two
permanent traders left. A temporary licence is valid for up to six months and does not guarantee a trader’s pitch in the market, but a trader can apply for a permanent licence after they have held a temporary licence for six months.
A council spokesman said: “The council is currently refreshing its markets strategy that will outline its approach to how all Hackney markets will be successfully maintained and managed, over the next five years. Temporary market licences are not being renewed for Kingsland Market however, there will be no change to any of the permanent licences.
“The traders concerned have been offered the opportunity to trade in all of our other markets with vacancies; they declined.”
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