West End Markets Under Threat

Angry stallholders at West End’s Green Flea Market are embroiled in a fight over management rights, with the current operators rallying support for their bid to continue as market operators.

Gabba Ward Councillor Helen Abrahams tabled a petition this month with nearly 4500 signatures before Brisbane City Council, in a bid to secure The Peter Hackworth Group’s tenure over the successful market.

“The petition basically called for the markets to stay in its current place, under its current proprietor,” Cr Abrahams said.

“However, Council must – particularly now that it really is quite an entity –
call for expressions of interest, as with all markets on Crown land.”

“Expressions of interest will be called in the very near future, I’ve been told it will be in the next two to three weeks,” she said.

West End Market Manager Gian Ferrett said she fears the expressions of interest process could see the now-viable markets change hands after six years of building up the brand.

“It does seem rather cruel as we lost a lot of money when we started this market,” she said.

“It’s a community market, it’s not a highly profitable market and we know if any of the commercial operators come in… things will change here.”

The market has grown from a humble eight stalls in 2002 to include a diversity of fresh fruit and vegetables, clothing, art and cooked food.

“So many people come here and we are so popular now that it has become a bit of a problem,” Ms Ferrett said.

Mark Fairbairn, who manages the Chandler Market, said the Council’s regulations were being applied inconsistently and questioned the practicalities of the current West End site.

“None of the regulations I was forced to endure have ever been applied to the Green Flea,” he said.

Mr Fairbairn said the lack of onsite toilets and sufficient parking and the suitability of the dirt-floored areas for food preparation were only a few examples of how Davies Park was inappropriate.

Longtime market operator Peter Hackworth had originally been invited to operate the market at Davies Park by Souths Leagues Club, who held the title over the land at that time.

But recent changes had seen part of the market site fall under the Council’s jurisdiction, making the EOI process necessary.

Ms Ferrett said there was speculation as to who would be putting in an application to run the market.

“Souths are a major contender, because as soon the as the market was successful they wanted it of course – but so does every other market operator in Queensland,” she said.

“We have had this happen at Southbank, which we opened and had for 10 years and then management changed and they put it out to tender.

“It was like leaving your family after 10 years, you become very close to your stallholders,” she said.

Russell Solomon, a wire sculptor and regular stallholder at the markets collected a further 300 signatures from other traders on Saturday, saying there was significant support for The Peter Hackworth Group.

“I’ve seen markets come and go and I’ve seen markets change management and more often than not the new management sees the money, not the soul,” he said.

“Most of the stallholders I’ve spoken to are strongly of the opinion that they’re happy with the service that Gian and the Hackworth Group offers.”

Souths Leagues Club CEO Jim McLelland was unavailable for comment on whether the club was expressing interest in operating the markets.