Help Temple Bar Food Market

Temple Bar Food Market was set up 21 years ago by a group of growers and producers with a vision to bring Irish, artisan, local and high quality produce to a city centre location. These traders have committed to the market and seen it go from strength to strength over the years, with the support of customers old and new.

With the dissolution of Temple Bar Cultural Trust, TBFM is now being run by Dublin City Council. Therefor Meeting House Square has gone from being private property to a public site, which requires all traders to acquire a casual trading licence to trade.

Our current bye-laws were introduced by Dublin City Council on March 4th 2013. These bye-laws are now being reviewed by public consultation.

Below are some of the new terms and conditions of trading. These T+Cs apply to all casual trading licences in the city - from bric a brac, to flowers, hawkers and food markets. Temple Bar Food Market is also subject to these, and clearly one size does not fit all!

We are asking our customers to sign this petition in solidarity with traders to have our amendments considered and taken on board before these new bye-laws come into effect.

They may seem like small insignificant details, but they have a huge impact on the running of small businesses and the food market as a whole.

WHAT YOU CAN DO!
Act now to help the market — sign the petition. We will include this act of support in our submission.
Copy and paste our amendments below and send them as a submission with regards specifically to TBFM to
[email protected]

All this helps to make it clear we want the integrity of the market maintained under the hands of Dublin City Council!

Deadline for submission: before 17.00 on Thursday 29th March, 2018

NEW TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF TRADING
1
"VACANT PITCHES
Designated area trading pitch allocation policy
Vacant pitches will be offered on a first come first served basis, except in the case of new areas which will be allocated by lottery."

A first come first serve basis will not work for TBFM, nor a lottery system. We need a quality control measure whereby applicants need to show their high food standards. We also have a quota for hot food which is full, and so only grocery and produce based stalls should be considered until a hot food stall leaves. There has been an exception made for producers who are selling their own produce alongside a hot food offering - as this hot food offering helps to promote the product. i.e Broughgammon Butchers. Specific areas we are missing and would be welcome are: fishmonger, loose leaf tea, fermented goods
2
"PITCHES
Pitch numbers according to DCC: 23"

We have 22 pitches currently occupied - we have two pitches free. Therefore, the total number of pitches is 24.
4
"PRESENCE OF LICENCE HOLDER/STAFF
A licence holder may nominate a maximum of two agents to assist in the operation of a designated trading stall under the following terms and conditions: (maximum now included)
There may only be a maximum of two people operating the stall at any one time and each of them must be trading within one metre of the stall. (maximum now included)
The licence holder must be present at all times where practicable. It is acceptable that the licence holder be absent during holiday periods or due to illness but this absence must be advised to the Casual Trading Section as soon as practically possible.
Phone: 01-2222165
E-mail: [email protected].
A medical certificate is required for prolonged period of absence."

Traders at TBFM would often have more than two staff members, or have rotating staff lists. It would be impractical to restrict a stall to two specific staff members or ‘agents.’ We would ask that this particular term be waived for the market.
It is also impractical for the licence holder to be present at all times - with or without the excuse of illness. Many licence holders would be responsible for other markets on the same day, deliveries etc, and therefore leave their stall in the capable hands of staff.
5
"WASTE MANAGEMENT
The removal of waste generated at each trading stall is the responsibility of the trader.
Under the Waste Management Act 1996 traders have two options to dispose of their waste:
Arrange for a private waste disposal company to do it.
The trader can arrange to dispose of their waste in an alternative proper manner.

Both options must comply with the Waste Management Act 1996 and relevant EU regulations/directives. Traders are reminded that when they are disposing of their waste and either fail to do so or do it in a way which infringes the Waste Management Act 1996 they are liable to be prosecuted by the local authority. Traders are also reminded of their responsibilities under the Protection of the Environment Act, 2003 and the Litter Pollution Act 1997."

Currently TBFM waste disposal is organized by the management company employed by DCC. This includes public waste i.e. created by customers purchasing food at the market. This does not include personal waste, which traders already dispose of themselves. The traders would like to know who will be responsible for this public waste. The traders also wish to know if a management company will be kept in place after the introduction of the bye-laws - as much of the smooth running of the market relies on this.
6
"TRADING HOURS
Saturdays Only : 7a.m.-9.45.a.m. for set up
Trading hours 10 a.m.-4.30 pm. Pack up 4.30 p.m. -6.30 p.m."

We would like our trading times changed to:

Saturdays Only : 7a.m.-9a.m. for set up
Trading hours 9 a.m.-5.00 p.m. Pack up 5.00 p.m.- 6.30 p.m.
7
"UNAUTHORISED ADS/BANNERS
Attaching commercial advertisements or unauthorised banners or material to a stall is prohibited. (New)"

Some traders at TBFM would use their stall as a notice board for outside events, workshops and other food related activities, both for themselves and to support others in the food industry.