How did you end up working in the markets sector?
I became group manager of Glasgow City Council Markets in 1996, with a background as a chartered surveyor. As a surveyor, I had already done some work with markets.
Earlier this year, Glasgow City Council agreed to form a limited liability partnership (LLP) to run its market services, across retail, wholesale and farmers’ markets, operating at arm’s length from the council.
I was appointed by a board of five directors as managing director, and as a result became the sixth director.
How is the new management structure operating?
Board-wise, it has been an interesting experience. A lot of work so far has been helping the directors find out more detail about wholesale, retail and farmers’ markets and what they do, and drawing up the proposals for the refurbishment of Glasgow wholesale market.
Management-wise, the new structure means that the market is more self determining, particularly in financial terms. There has been a bit less red tape - it is easier to report to a board than go through a council committee structure if you want to implement any changes, for example.
What do you think the proposed redevelopment will achieve for Glasgow’s wholesale market?Some traders have suggested a whole new market should be built instead - what is your response to this?
When we looked at the existing site and property here in Glasgow we realised we had one of the best sites for a wholesale market in Scotland. We are very well located - we are right on the edge of the biggest city and most densely populated area in Scotland and have very good transport links.
The construction of the existing market was already good. We wanted to retain the market environment and the very simple design. We have a steel frame building and individual, self-contained units for each wholesaler. Each unit has two side walls and a shutter at the front and back, with individual access to the buyers’ walk and the loading and unloading areas. It is a very simple layout.
Around the world, we discovered that most wholesale markets had this basic structure, and new markets I have seen have a very similar design aim of developing self-contained units while still maintaining the market environment.
The market basically has a good, sound structure, but needs refurbishment. Therefore, building a whole new market seemed unnecessary and there was the additional risk that to do so may have lost us our excellent location here. The existing site does need urgent work, however, otherwise it could have got to the stage where we may have lost the market, as it would have become increasingly difficult to retain existing and attract new tenants and customers.
Some existing tenants are already talking about expansion as a result of the refurb and the council’s reason for investing is to give the tenants confidence to invest in their own businesses. We want them to get the message that the market is here to stay and to have confidence in its future.
We also hope the refurb will attract new and wider ranging food-related uses and will run a marketing campaign to that end when the project is over. We will be seeking to continue to expand in the future as Scotland’s food hub.
What will the refurbishment involve and what stage is the development at?
We are re-cladding with a high insulation silvered finish. We are putting in new windows and will also re-roof the market.
We will also be looking at the water services, drainage and electrics. There has been a big change in energy usage and associated costs in the market, and we will be installing energy-efficient lighting to help cut costs. The common yard area and the buyers’ walk will be resurfaced and revised traffic management plans introduced.
These changes will of course be discussed with representatives of the traders’ association first. So far, we have gained planning consent and a building warrant and anticipate that work will start in April. The whole process from start to end should take two years and it is important for traders to know we will really minimise disruption to business as much as possible during this period.
How and when did you become chairman of WUWM? What are your key aims in the role?
I was elected to the role of vice-chair two years ago and then in April took over as chairman from Donald Darnall at a WUWM conference, following an election process held in Mexico.
WUWM’s mission is to promote the essential role that wholesale and retail markets play in ensuring the sustainable access, availability and distribution of a diverse variety of quality fresh food products, while maintaining competitive prices and the highest standards of service and food security, throughout the international community.
One of my main roles will be lobbying on behalf of retail and wholesale markets to develop further connections in Europe. Retail and wholesale markets are intrinsically linked and I want to raise the profile of both. We need to promote markets as a brand and work together. As individual markets and wholesalers, we are relatively small businesses but taken together we represent a major part of the fresh produce supply and distribution sector. Going forward as a brand, we can then use the excellent EU contacts we have developed.
I want to continue pushing the technical and professional aspects of WUWM as well as consolidate links between different countries and their representative bodies. Glasgow market, for example, developed direct trading links with Hamburg through membership of WUWM, and there is a lot more work we can do on that among the membership in forming partnerships, etc.
Promoting markets as a brand is key but we have got to raise the game in all sorts of aspects. We just had an excellent congress in Copenhagen to celebrate the market’s 50th anniversary - we had very good representation from 30 countries and a range of professional and skilled speakers covering many aspects of markets management and development.
The congress emphasised that there is ever-increasing interest in sharing experience and knowledge - particularly in innovative market management systems and rationalising and developing the role of markets in the future food chain. Issues such as competition, choice, quality, taste, local/regional produce, sustainability and the addressing of environmental considerations by market operators have all led to much greater interest from decision-makers.
EU agriculture commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel’s comments in her opening address at the congress emphasised the importance of the market sector and the crucial role markets have in assisting the Agriculture andRural Development DG in achieving its aims of food security, improving consumption and public health. Her offer of continued dialogue will of course be taken up.
How important are retail markets to WUWM?
In 2006, WUWM membership was opened to retail markets and operators. Recognising the contribution made by retail market operators and authorities to the markets industry and the common agenda of many aspects of wholesale and retail markets, WUWM seeks to build on the work currently being done to embrace retail markets. The WUWM Strategic Plan also incorporates retail market goals, objectives and activities designed to serve the interests of the retail market membership in WUWM and the sector in general.
Retail markets have different strengths and operational structures in different countries and there is a lot of work in the UK, by bodies such as the National Association of British Market Authorities (NABMA), to push for recognition of the link with the wholesale sector.
Allied with the food agenda, there is a real opportunity for retail markets to grow in this environment.
Do you believe composite markets are the way forward for the wholesale sector?
It is really horses for courses. When you look at a city like Glasgow, composite markets make sense. I would say the same about places like Manchester and Birmingham, as they can become regional food hubs. Rungis in Paris works very well, for example.
There are some very specialist markets around the world and these also work well, but I think in Europe the focus will be much more on composite markets in the future.
Glasgow is the only market inScotland and we are actively pursuing that model as part of the refurbishment process. We would like to continue developing it as a one-stop shop for processors, caterers and independent retail chains.
What can wholesale markets offer their local communities and how can this be built upon?
Markets have a lot to offer local communities, not least employment, income generation and support of SMEs.
Generally markets need to work on the four As - awareness, access, availability and affordability. We certainly have to make people more aware that markets are here and the important role they can play in healthy eating.
Schools and colleges offer a good way for markets to link up further with their local areas, and most markets are already hosting regular trips from schools. At Glasgow, we get a good reactionfrom the kids, whose knowledge levels can be very low. We also work with the Culinary Excellence Programme in the city, which aims to get kids into the ever-growing catering and hospitality industry.
What effect will the current economic climate have on the markets sector?
It is quite hard in the wholesale sector at the moment generally - the exchange rates are making it hard to get the right margins, for example. But they are still doing well considering what is happening in the rest of the economy. After all, people have to eat.
I think to some extent the media has talked up the credit crunch, although there is no doubt spending power is affected. Traders have to meet higher costs and people are maybe eating out a bit less. But generally we are weathering the recession quite well, and Christmas is just around the corner.
But I see a good future for wholesale markets - they have been around forever and there is a reason for that. I am optimistic we can weather the bad times.
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