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Markets to freshen up city

Anne Gartner, Guardian ExpressEastern Reporter

City of Perth councillors agreed at last week’s meeting to set up a fresh produce market for the area running each Sunday starting in spring.

Stallholders will be encouraged to sell fresh, local and artisan produce to city residents and others who come to the area for shopping or business.

The council will invest about $35,000 in establishing the markets, with cheap stall fees expected to attract participants.

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Lord Mayor Lisa Scaffidi said she wanted the markets to become a feature of the city.

‘I want to see markets that are so dynamically set up that you would want to buy everything you see,’ she said.

‘There needs to be some strong branding to make them look special ” for example, New York has weekend markets at Union Square and all stall holders must dress their stalls in a uniform fashion.

‘It is something we are keen to do but takes time to build up and get completely right.’

Ms Scaffidi said the markets were a continuation of the Perth Home Grown initiative run during March.

‘The Sunday market would stock similar goods as Perth Home Grown, providing homemade wares, home-baked goods, artisan products, plants, cut flowers plus fresh produce,’ she said.

The Woodfired Baker owner Andrew Ritchie was involved in the Perth Home Grown Markets and said inner city markets were a great addition to the city.

‘The city is pretty quiet on a Sunday morning, the markets are a nice way to wake up the city,’ he said.

‘There is a definitely a bit of a gap, there is no farmers markets in the central district on Sundays.

‘The potential for the area is great. You are right in the middle of the city and the station is just across the road.’

Mr Ritchie said markets gave smaller businesses a chance to reach a bigger market.