More stallholders will reopen at Croydon’s historic Surrey Street market and at locations across the borough starting from next week as the government eases some Covid-19 business restrictions.
After the nationwide lockdown was announced on 23 March, every market in the borough except Surrey Street closed because most stallholders’ items did not fit government criteria of selling essential goods only.
From Monday 1 June, the nationwide ban on sales of non-essential goods at outdoor markets will end as part of the government’s gradual lifting of restrictions. Surrey Street will expand that day to include sellers of non-essential items such as flowers and luggage.
Three other locally-run outdoor markets in New Addington, Crystal Palace and South Norwood will reopen on 2 June, 6 June and 4 July respectively. The council is also advising all other Croydon non-essential retail businesses on social distancing measures ahead of them reopening from 15 June.
Surrey Street is the only outdoor market to have remained open in Croydon throughout lockdown, with essential goods only for sale including fruit and vegetables, fish and takeaway food.
During this time, the council has followed government requirements on encouraging social distancing in Surrey Street through a range of measures, including:
• Signs at each market entrance, on streetlamp columns and stalls
• Lines taped onto the street to mark out two-metre gaps for people to follow
• Traders using boxes and trestle tables to space the queues
• A four-metre gap between stalls.
This weekend the council will also put in place more social distancing measures in anticipation of extra Surrey Street customers from Monday. These include more markings on the road surface, reminding people to keep apart from others.
Permanent traders will be given priority and any other spaces will be rotated between less regular traders so they can recover lost earnings.
From 2 June, the New Addington Market that trades on Tuesdays and Fridays will reopen. From 6 June, the community-run Saturday market at Haynes Lane in Crystal Palace will also resume face-to-face trading, and from Saturday 4 July the monthly Clocktower Market in South Norwood will also reopen in Station Road.
The council continues to advise and support traders on business during Covid-19 restrictions, including the use of personal protective equipment, and advice on how to seek financial help.
“Our historic Surrey Street market was already important to local people before Covid-19, but I want to thank its resilient traders who supplied essential goods in lockdown while following social distancing rules.
“This borough faces a long economic recovery from the impact of Covid-19, so reopening more of our colourful and vibrant market stalls while observing social distancing to keep the public safe is a small but significant step for local people and the wider community.”
Councillor Manju Shahul-Hameed, cabinet member for economy and jobs
For more information on Surrey Street and New Addington markets, visit the council website.
