Revitalising the local high street – take inspiration from the Chiswick Flower Market

Preparations are underway for the re-opening of the Chiswick Flower Market (CFM) in West London on 2 May. The market which is run entirely by volunteers was established in 2020 as a Community Interest Company aiming to create a vibrant local market, increase footfall of the high road area and support other local businesses, including independent shops, cafes and bars.

I got involved after attending a public meeting in February 2020 that was arranged to seek input on the proposed market which would help regenerate my local high street. The idea was suggested by a local surveyor as a way of bringing life back into Chiswick High Road which has declined in recent years with falling footfall and a rising number of vacant shops. The market was to be set up as a Community Interest Company and run without public funding by a group of residents on a voluntary basis. I thought it was a brilliant idea and wanted to be part of the venture.

Setting up the market started with drafting a plan. We sought permission from the council, sourced traders, set up a company and all the admin that goes with what was effectively a start-up. We even organised a local team who stitched 500 metres of bunting to make the marketplace festive.

We approached the first market with huge anticipation, but also a fair dose of trepidation. We were lucky to have some excellent press coverage, having marketed ourselves as the “first new flower market in London for 150 years”. We were delighted that the FT had a two-page article on the market and that Time Out ranked the market as the number one thing to do in London that initial weekend.

The first day far exceeded our best expectations. We were astonished but delighted to see the queues and the constant flow of people through the day. We had 7,500 visitors at the first market and were on the BBC London news that evening. Most of the traders were delighted with their takings, the customers loved it and the High Street was buzzing for the first time in years.

The market had a really positive impact on the High Street. We had feedback from local traders that the market boosted turnover by between 50% and 100%. We had comments that some people had never seen the High Rd so busy, ever! After the first market, we were approached by shopkeepers on an adjacent road to expand the market to their road. Some local estate agents now market properties as being close to the “Flower Market”. The huge success of the market is a high point for me. It is wonderful to see the enjoyment it has brought to many people and the much-enhanced revenue for traders and local businesses.

To minimise our impact on the environment, we operated a cargo bike delivery service and we sold 250 branded jute bags as part of our plan to eliminate single use plastic bags from the market. We also ensure that as much stock as possible at the market has been grown in the UK.

Up to now, Covid-19 is by far the biggest challenge CFM has faced. After launching the market in September, we cancelled October as there was so much uncertainty at that time. Much more effort had to go in to making the market Covid-19 safe for the November and December markets.

So far this year we haven’t had a market given the Covid-19 conditions, but we are excited about the next market which is expected to be on Sunday 2 May.

We plan to expand in the not-too-distant future, as Covid-19 has limited the size of the market. We intend to grow our social media presence and want to promote Chiswick as a desirable destination. We will invest profits in improving and expanding the market and in other projects beneficial to the High Road area.

Since we started CFM, the local authority has granted licenses for an antiques market and a cheese market, each on a Sunday once a month.

When I volunteered it was initially to help with finance, but I’ve since become involved in almost all aspects of the market, bringing skills I learned over the years as an FCA. I did have to learn to use my accounting skills in a “microenvironment”, something which I had not done for a very long time, if ever! Personally, it has been a fantastic way to meet new people in the area and share a common goal of improving and bringing joy to our neighbourhood.

CFM has a varied team with different backgrounds and a range of skills. Key roles are strategy, trader selection, council liaison, PR/marketing, market layout/operations and finance/fund raising. We have fantastic administrative support, social media, event management, IT/website support, a cargo bike team and others. We are a small team, so it is very hands-on and in practice most of us do a bit of everything. The core team involved is comprised of 12 Chiswick based residents, in addition there are up to 50 volunteer marshals on market days.

I would say the key skills are enthusiasm and reliability. Nobody is getting paid, so everyone needs to love doing what they do.

I trained with PWC (then Coopers and Lybrand) in Manchester and moved to PWC’s Bermuda office shortly after I qualified. Post audit I worked in banking and reinsurance. I left Bermuda in 2006 and worked for Enstar in London, New York and then in Bermuda. In 2018 I decided on a career break and moved to Chiswick in West London. A desire to get to know my neighbourhood better, and a keen interest in flowers and gardening led to my involvement with the Chiswick Flower Market.

If you are thinking of doing something similar, don’t hesitate! It is such a bonus for the community to have an event such at this and it is fun to be involved in something different which is so positive for so many.

You can find more information about the Chiswick Flower Market on the High Streets Task Force website which covered the creation of the market as a case study.

^{*The views expressed are the author’s and not ICAEW}