Fremantle Markets - Ann Meyer and grand visions

Ann Meyer put people offside right from the beginning. Another business was reduced in size to make way for her coffee shop. She moved someone else’s stock from the coolroom and took over that space; the tenant left the market because of that shabby treatment and the newly announced rental increases.

Soon after, Ann introduced herself as the new Business Development Manager. People came out of her introductory meeting seething with anger. She took a hard line and said she was not there to talk about the past or problems or to answer questions. Basically it was “I’m here to speak and you are here to listen”. That was incredibly insensitive considering that the stallholders had just heard of the rental increases and felt betrayed and afraid.

It was generally understood that the Murdoch brothers had employed her to avoid the angry conflict that was festering; she was now the ‘go to guy’ and the Murdoch’s referred everything back to her. She was generally disrespected and disliked and many of the changes she instigated had dire effect on previously well run, successful businesses.

No one has ever mentioned a good idea that Ann Meyer implemented but there are many accounts of extreme chagrin at the detrimental changes she has made. What enflames everyone most of all, is that she over-rides experience, logical argument and even obvious facts by quoting or stressing her research. She is often mimicked with statements like, according to my survey, my data says, our market research, due to customer demand…

Her coffee shop was taken over by her daughter. There has been a lot said about ‘conflict of interest and nepotism’ and a lot of animosity has brewed as the daughter took over prime positioning and other advantages.

What I find most interesting about this shop is that it should reflect the validity of Ann’s qualifications and must be an example of how a shop should be run and how successful a shop can be according to the management’s expertise, positive attitude, qualified research and visions of their 21st century innovation. One would think that this shop would be a prototype for all others to aspire to – wouldn’t one?

Without even going into the fact that the coffee shop is for sale and everyone is really angry that a casual stall is for sale, when permanent stalls can’t sell and are being walked away from, let’s compare advantages and disadvantages.

The first point is that not only is this a casual stall which has only operated a little more than a year but the sale comes with an exclusive right to take over a permanent shop which has never even been occupied by the girl. The previous owner was ousted after paying around $30,000 for only ½ the space. He has recently walked away with nothing. How is it that his shop becomes her asset?

This might make her sale look more secure or more appealing but on closer inspection a potential buyer would find that that space needs to be fitted out and equipped according to regulations. I would estimate they would be looking at another $50,000 to do that.

Currently the girl is in a casual location of 3X3 metres. If you put a table at the front and side that gives you enough space to work in equivalent to a baby’s playpen. The rent on this little space is $100 per day. If the buyer takes on the permanent shop it is probably triple that size so I assume it would be at least double that rent.

The casual 3X3 shop is for sale for $20,000neg. If you take on the permanent shop your outlay would be around $70,000 plus rent around $600 per weekend. My figures are rough of course, but close enough for this estimation I am sure.

According to the girl, her profit is around $1,000 per month or $250 per week. If you round that out at 8 hours a day, trading 3 days at the market, and include another 8 hours to do all the things that need to be done to run the business, you have around 32 hours work. That means you make around $8 per hour!

The minimum basic wage for an employee would be twice that. Who in their right mind would pay $20,000 to do that? This of course, this is only if you take the 3X3 casual. I can’t imagine that anyone would take on a lease with the larger shop based on these figures.

I must also add that the figures did not include outgoings, insurances, car, phone or office expenses and other costs that would be usual in running a business so I do believe that the profit was exaggerated.

So, if this is the baby of Ann Meyers and Jamie Murdoch; with all of that management advantage, market research, the questionnaires, positive/professional attitude, retail experience, expertise and grand visions for everyone – then let the proof be in their puddings.

On another note though, I will add, that a potential buyer contacted Jamie Murdoch and enquired about the 5 year lease and also asked for information about the 3 month trial. The request was ignored. An EOI was sent instead. A second request to see a copy of the lease was also ignored.

Yes, you get to buy the coffee shop but you are only given a 3 month trial – and then… (???)

If this is the outcome for the ‘favoured one’ then what hope does anyone have?

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Starting or buying a business at Freo Markets

According to FMPL:
“The Markets’ philosophy is that a wide range of traders should present goods of quality, value and interest at competitive prices. Fremantle Markets is an entertaining place, whether you are visiting or bargain hunting.

Fremantle Markets is a community amenity and meeting place, and over the past 35 years has become an outstanding cultural, entertainment, restaurant and retail centre, without equal in the State.”

The tricky spin or blatant propaganda is just mind-boggling. Value at competitive prices and bargain hunting? The massive rent hikes drove out almost 30% of the tenants and the rest have had to index the cost into product prices.
Community meeting place and cultural centre? It used to be the community hub of Freo, but now it’s just a few plastic chairs, hiding empty stalls, that they refer to as relaxed sitting areas or now a community meeting place.
Is there a restaurant in there?
Entertainment? They must mean the buskers outside the market wall or the music in the bar which I believe is provided by the bar owner not the market management. Perhaps they think that the food hall in the mall is theirs as well.
Well, it all sounds good and might impress a naïve potential tenant and that’s what it’s all about. A nice little lead in to their Expression of Interest application form.

It doesn’t quite come right out and state that before you get to see the lease agreement the need to supply your first born child as collateral but it comes pretty close.

It is really hard to sell a business in the markets for a number of reasons; high rents and lack of facilities being the most obvious.

A lot has been said about people who have signed onto a 5 year lease because they thought that it offered secure tenure and that would make selling a business more viable or at least more stable for the buyer. Many of those people now feel stuck; locked in for 5 years with no way out. It’s no secret that due to the amount of empty stalls the management is now offering those spaces at no cost to new tenants. The bottom line of course, is that they are only interested in the rent coming into their pockets. The value of an established business is of no concern to them and might in fact hinder their agenda.

Some people have employed a business broker and others have advertised businesses for sale. A number of people have found a buyer and then the sale has fallen through when they have contacted the management to discuss the lease.

I am not even going to mention the lease other than to reiterate what I have said before, “Get legal advice before you sign.”

What many stallholders did not realize is that the potential buyers must sign an expression of interest form before they are offered a lease. Basically, the form is to guarantee the management that the potential buyer has enough assets to cover them if they should fail. I wonder if FMPL would provide the same information to their tenants. What guarantee do the tenants have should FMPL go bust?

What really concerns me most though is that FMPL demands a trail period. So, if you are lucky enough to find a buyer, your buyer pays you for your business, fits out the shop, buys stock and then after 10 weeks they can be told that they are unsuitable!!!!

If you haven’t read through the EOI form have a look at these excerpts:
Tenant Licence Agreements.
The successful applicant will be required to enter into a Licence Agreement with Fremantle Markets Pty Ltd for a period of 10 weeks to see whether it is successful for both parties. Nearing the end of that time both parties can sit down and discuss the option of entering into a long term arrangement.

Or this little beauty which says it all:
Whilst an attempt has been made to ensure that information contained in this document is accurate at the time of publication (April 2010), Fremantle Markets Pty Ltd does not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy of information contained in this document.

What Happens Next?

Applicants will not automatically be offered an interview and it is therefore important that you complete the attached Application Form as fully and accurately as possible. Photographs and other information relating to your proposed merchandise will assist in reviewing your application.

The assessment of application takes approximately 1 month and all applicants will be notified in writing of the outcome of their application.

The decision and outcome of your application is not open to appeal.

Please provide an itemised listing of your proposed product range (You must include photographs of merchandise to be sold).
What are your unique selling points?
What type of products could you could sell at cost price as per the Market Rules?
“Tenants must have at least 1 item of goods made available for sale to customers at Cost Price as an attraction to patrons on each trading day.”

How would your stall and product contribute to a vibrant and interesting Market? (Please give a full explanation eg. it is not sufficient to merely state that you are or have previously been a Tenant for any period).

Who are your competitors and what are the main points of difference that you will offer? (You should consider competitors both internal and external to Fremantle Markets)
Who is your target audience/customers?
In what ways will you ensure your stall operates in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way?
How many staff do you intend to employ?
What other tasks relating to the stall do you do during non-trading times and how many hours are spent on them?
How do you intend to train your staff so they will add value to your business and the Fremantle Markets as a whole?
What is your merchandising theme/display method and how do you propose to continuously improve your stall setup?
What capital improvements will you make to the stall including signage? What improvements will you make to the appearance of the stall? Please include estimated costs of improvements together with a detail plan of proposed changes. Please staple proposed plans to this application.
What is the proposed maintenance and cleaning program for the stall?
Briefly describe your marketing plan. (Other than relying on passing trade or word of mouth, how do you plan to get information about your product to your prospective customer?)
Please provide details of any previous retail business owned by you or retail experience (in each instance please provide dates). Include any relevant details such as qualifications or awards.

Financial Background
Plant & Equipment (currently owned and situated in stall, if any)
Already Owned – Item – Market Value – Service Cost

Plant and equipment to be purchased and installed in stall if application successful
Item – Purchase Price – Service cost

Personal Assets and Liabilities of Applicant
You Own: Cash available, Own Home, Other Real Estate, Superannuation, Savings/Shares, Furniture, Personal Effects, Vehicles, Other Assets. Total Value?
You Owe: Bills unpaid, Home Mortgage, Other Mortgage, Credit Cards, Vehicle Loan, Other Loan. Total?

What was that about a place for artisans, hand made products and an incubator for new start up businesses? I don’t think so…

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Fremantle councils dislodged stallholders

In my last post I referred to the ‘pollie speak’ of Fremantle Council. In a carefully worded document they explained they were unable to include a representative of the stallholders association into the working group because the association no longer had any members left. Then they went on to say that they will continue to monitor the situation. (Really?)

In layman terms what this means is:
Due to the fact that we have been fart-arsing around for a year the problem seems to have gone away.

This month’s council minutes offers this gem:
“…or is council seeking to provide support for those stallholders that have been dislodged by unintended consequences of the new lease at the Fremantle markets…”

Dislodged stallholders? Unintended consequences? Oh please!

In layman’s terms:
Dislodged stallholders means: Shafted stallholders.
Unintended consequences means: Predictable outcome of our big F up.

For the full report see page 148 http://www.freofocus.com/council/resource/2010.03.24_Council.pdf
As usual, it seems that Freo Council are never sure if they are coming or going; on page 165 Cr Fittock gave us an insight:

LATE ITEM
At 8.28 pm Cr R Fittock left the meeting and returned at 8.28 pm.

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Fremantle Council and Fremantle Markets. What Tha?

Fremantle Council’s Report for March 2010 re Update on Fremantle Markets Alleged Breaches. For full report see:
http://www.freofocus.com/council/resource/Council%20Agenda%2024%20March%202010.pdf Page 84.

It just gets sillier as we move forward. The ex mayor pretty much wrote the proposal for the Murdoch’s as we saw in a 2006, Fremantle Herald front page article. He strongly promoted the idea of turning the market into a food venue. In that same article he even suggested that if the Murdochs opposed his vision he was prepared to buy them out of the remainder of the lease. When you look at the Murdoch proposal it almost looks like Tagliaferri could have written it himself.

Rather than put it out for tender council allowed a one horse race. The new lease was renewed years before the old lease expired; there was no urgency other than the fact that the ex mayor was soon to be vacating his seat and a well publicised threat by the Murdoch’s that they would run the markets into the ground, and some mention of flimsy litigation. More than one councillor later stated that they took these threats seriously and were persuaded to vote for the Murdoch’s on these issues. Some have since said that they regret that decision. Others stated that it was the very reason they strongly opposed the Murdoch application.

When hundreds of letters and emails were sent to council opposing the renewal, one councillor had to ask twice before she and the others got to see them. Another councillor later stated that he did not have time to read them. That same councillor recently stated that to his knowledge only one person had been evicted from the markets! I very clearly remember that councillor sitting in on all of the meetings in which stallholders spoke of evictions and being forced to walk away from businesses. Clearly, there were scores of articles about this in the papers and two public rallies. The last rally included the reading out of forty five names of people who had left the market since the new lease agreement.

The chairperson and the secretary of the stallholders association were evicted. When Mark and Gerry came on board and spoke publicly about their plight they were defamed in newsletters, had their stalls downsized, rents increased and offered only a monthly tenancy instead of the 5 year lease previously promised by both the Murdoch’s and the council; all making it impossible to continue and in effect ‘bullied’ into walking away from previously successful businesses with nothing. Many others who spoke out have also left due to similar treatment.

Within a year the stallholders association collapsed due to key people being evicted or shafted and no one else is now prepared to step up or speak out. Both the Murdoch’s and the council have robbed the market of any feedback, advice or protection from the people at the front line – the collective voice of the association . Stallholders are now as potent as pawns on a chessboard and are treated as such.

Brad Pettitt campaigned hard to be elected new mayor and made sweet statements about his concerns and made wishy washy promises about mediation and moving forward. Within weeks of being elected there was no stallholders association left and the best he has had to offer is a glib comment about the personality conflict between the parties. Meanwhile, more businesses have failed, customer numbers have greatly declined, businesses throughout the CBD are claiming it has impacted on them and there are now a number of official inquiries in progress.

Wouldn’t you think that the mayor and elected members would be scrambling to put things right? No. Everyone is blaming someone else and there is plenty of covering their tracks going on. But, getting back to the report and a very clear insight into the mindset of Glen Dougall, Director Corporate Services:

“Part 3 of the resolution of council in March, 2009, sought for a Working Group to be expanded to include a representative of the Stallholders Association. Whilst this matter has been discussed with FMPL on a number of occasions no agreement has been reached. The main reasons are that during the process the Stallholders’ Association were no longer viable due to lack of committee nominees and now lack of committee members. The City is of the opinion that it will continue to monitor the situation. With City officer members of the working group meeting with stallholders from time to time it is thought that any significant issues involving stallholders can be raised by the working group or by stallholders to ensure that matters are considered by the working group.

Officers will continue to monitor the situation and take action where it is deemed that FMPL are not operating in accordance with the Head Lease or the Operating Strategy. Any action will be so under the direction of the City’s legal team.”

It has taken them a year to talk about this one issue; private enterprise would have had it sorted in fifteen minutes. When you look back on all of the fart-arsing around that FCC has displayed you can only conclude that they deliberately stall making decisions knowing that if they wait long enough the problems will go away. This time - They are soooooooo WRONG. We will chase them down like rats in a drainpipe until we get answers.

It's all just another example of pollie speak and seeming to appear...I am so staggered by this that I am speechless.

Only one comment left in me, “Is this legal team the one who put the lease and the operating strategy together?” Of course it is.


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Fremantle markets - fair suck of the sav

Oh Jamie, “Fair suck of the sav old mate”. A little Aussie slang we little people use as an exclamation of incredulity. Truly, I was gobsmacked at your Feb ’10 report. (Interestingly, this report was only handed out to selected tenants: why?)

Quote:
“We have seen outgoing tenants working hard to generate negative publicity for the Markets, and to deliver on a prominent ex-stallholders promise to ‘do as much damage as possible before we go.’ In this they have received a lot of support from certain Councillors who should know better. The very public campaign against Fremantle Markets that has been waged by these people through the media, the internet, public protests and misguided comment in Council Chambers has had a negative impact on attendance numbers, and this is unconscionable*.

Be very clear – some outgoing tenants and misguided Councillors have demonstrated by their actions that they do not give a damn about the future of Fremantle Markets or the welfare of the current stallholders. They would like nothing more than to see the Markets fail.”

Oh dear, everyone in the world is conspiring against your good will and genius visions.

Facts:
When Donaldson and Murdoch Seniors ran the markets they were popular, successful, profitable to all parties and world renowned.

They did not compete nor compare with others. They were iconic within their own uniqueness.

Leases were frivolous but behind them was a ‘gentlemen’s agreement’ or a handshake that gave many security of tenure which held for twenty or more years.

No one needed to wear a name tag to contrive an insincere relationship with customers.

Stallholders mentored and nurtured each other and worked as a community within a community. No marketing guru will ever formulate or sell this X factor – it evolved over many, many years and included the hearts and personality of real people.

Previous management knew not to try and fix what wasn’t broken. Businesses relied on customer feedback for direction. Quite simply, if it didn’t sell, the business folded. Books do not teach anyone how to read a customer – only experience does.

Markets by definition must be good value for money with lots of atmosphere and offer an exhibition style of shopping. You have engineered it into a structured and disconnected meccano set. You can’t even figure out your trading hours.

Instead of supporting or protecting your tenants you have repeatedly bought in competitors who not only fail but take other well established businesses down with them.

You have relocated stalls into inappropriate positions and that has made it impossible for them to trade. They are a good number of the people who have been forced out of business and you have further robbed them of the right to sell what would have been a substantial amount of goodwill for a previously good business.

You have bullied people into dismissing their staff and you have demanded that some stop stocking some of their most popular lines. In some cases you have allowed others to then take on those same lines.

People have signed onto a long term lease believing they could sell the security of that only to find that you are now offering free entry into other vacant stalls. The promised security of tenure has now become a shackle.

The nepotistic advantages afforded Ms M's daughter has created a lot of acrimony and greatly disadvantaged the other coffee shop and to some degree other traders. This covert destruction and manipulation is being closely watched…

You doubled rents, increased outgoings, reduced advertising, relocated and reduced stall sizes. In doing this you forced product prices up and lost customers as well as successful traders. Some claim that this is now having a negative impact on other businesses throughout Fremantle.

You have even changed the nature of the markets - the very thing that made it a market.

On your one month to decide to “take it or leave it lease” many were unable to sell but in the few exceptions almost all of them who managed to sell, sold at less than cost. You had the audacity to write a cheerio in your newsletters making mention that they had sold and moved on. Truth: you forced them to sell out – they lost their livelihoods, their much loved business and their goodwill as well as most of their initial investment. Not to mention that most walked out with nothing at all.

Almost 25% of the stallholders have gone since you took on the new lease. A greater percentage of customers have also disappeared. Probable reason: they think the market is crap now!

Ann Meyer acts as your ventriloquist dummy and as irritating and disruptive as she is it is still your deeds which she does. You are backing her now but I suspect that she will be the fall guy when the ‘nice us up’ campaign gets underway. You are slick and you are in damage control. Miss M had better remember the many stallholders who backed you, campaigned and promoted for you - who you have now betrayed, dismissed and finacially devestated. Beware Miss M - the nature of the beast.

You sat in council and took names of all the people who had something to say about the predictable outcome of your megalomaniacal overtake. All but one or two of those people have since been shafted. You have systematically culled the people who opposed your ideas. They were right in their predictions and had you have been more open minded you would have realized that they were working to protect stallholders and trying to prevent this current chaos.

But now, seeing the insolence of your suggestion that stallholders should be entitled to expect you to be:
Helpful, friendly and ready to listen and;
Prepared to counsel, in a positive manner
Or that you ask them to:
Work with us as a team
Listen and respond and;
Avoid negative comment

Holy Moley you actually said:
“If you feel there are areas that need attention within the market please know that we are only a call away, or an email. We will make time to meet you to discuss your concern…We are committed to take all comments seriously.”

Excuse me, but wasn’t that what the stallholders association was all about? Do you honestly think that after the public flogging they received that there is anyone brave enough to offer any view that is not in line with your own dogma. Glaringly obvious, is the high rent. Do you wish to discuss this or can we take your quote from your Guru John Stanley’s website, “Jamie Murdoch, one of our clients in Fremantle, has just discovered a great article on “Only Losers Cut Their Prices”. Sounds pretty set in concrete to me….Discuss anything but the outrageous rents - the real issue!

This and your continued assertions that the rent is justified is ridiculous* when as soon as a rival and cheaper market was put on the drawing board you bleated something to the effect that stallholders would walk away on a daily basis. How can that be, I ask sarcastically, when you have said over and over it’s just a matter of ‘more professional traders’ Surly a new market housing your ‘cast offs’ is of no threat to your empire?

You talk about bullying in the workplace and yet most of the people there are intimidated by the victimization of all those who have been evicted or bullied into walking away. Such tensions currently exist that at least two assaults have occurred within the markets; bitchy and sarcastic comments are rife and even Ms M and Councillors have mentioned intimidation and feeling threatened – such is your leadership. This is all about you or because of you. How dare you suggest that ex-stallholders are ‘the trouble makers’? Let’s remind you once again that it was You who threatened to run the markets into the ground if You didn’t get what You wanted. You created bad blood with councillors and between stallholders and You gave the press the stories to write - they simply recorded your actions. There is a huge difference between retaliation and aggression – don’t you dare boo hoo when people push back!

Talk about intimidation, you have wiped the floor with the very people who fed you for most of your life. You glare and posture as people pack up and walk away, having lost everything, and in so many instances you felt the further vindictive need to stand security guards nearby to intimidate or humiliate; you changed locks prior to vacation, you made access difficult and gave limited time and extra pressure to get out. You didn’t even afford the decency to offer a note or word of thank you or good wishes.

Even your own parents put energy, effort and expertise into the market. They worked with stallholders to make it the success that it was – the successful enterprise handed to you on a plate. Can’t help but link that to your comment about 'in nature they eat their young!' I wish…

As for your inflammatory comments about ex-stallholders trying to damage either the markets or other stallholders I take strong objection and reiterate the intention has always been to fight you in regard to fair market rent and secure tenure. Reread your press coverage, this blog and the council transcripts – it is there over and over again. Ex-stallholders have lost their businesses and could easily move on without the aggravation but they are still campaigning collectively to fight for the success of Fremantle Markets (as a real market) and the security of all stallholders.

You are trying to suggest that there are 2 camps of stallholders and you are deliberately trying to pit them against each other. We are not so foolish that we don’t see that for what that is. We don’t consider ex stallholders and current stallholders as being on different teams. All stallholders are equally respected; many are very close friends and the new guys are as vulnerable as all of the rest. Our position is also inclusive of the customers and the Fremantle community as a whole.

Oh, and to blame everyone else for the decline in customers is just pathetic. Customers rarely complain officially or verbally, they simply walk away – doesn’t that say something?

You claim that the media, the internet, the public and the council are campaigning against Fremantle Market. What don’t you get? Let me help you with this with a very clear statement; we all loved the market – We dont love greed, ineptitude, arrogence, victimization or betrayal. Where or who is the common denominator?

*Unconscionable: Unusually harsh and shocking to the conscience; that which is so grossly unfair that a court will proscribe it. When a court uses the word unconscionable to describe conduct, it means that the conduct does not conform to the dictates of conscience. In addition, when something is judged unconscionable, a court will refuse to allow the perpetrator of the conduct to benefit.
*Ridiculous (John’s favourite scrabble word)
worthy of or exciting ridicule; absurd, preposterous, laughable, or contemptible

(Im sure all stallholders can drop by the office and ask for the full version of the progress report - in case they missed out on being given one)
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E-shed markets vs Fremantle market and Fremantle council

Hi Sonya,

I thought I would give you an update on some of us ex stallholder. We are VERY happily trading at E Shed markets: Scotty, Gerry, Sue, Billy & Fan, Richard and Myself. The management actually greet us with 'good morning' when they walk around the markets (yes, actually walk amongst the stallholders). Each week I have been at the E Shed the manager and/or property manager have approached me to enquire how the business is going and if there was any thing they could help me with. They also talk to other stallholders, listening if they have a problem (and then endeavouring to solve that particular problem) or asking for any input on how to improve the markets. Amazing!

This management are working towards filling the void the Freo Markets has left in the community. They are welcoming new stallholders without evicting old ones. They are building a market for locals to wander through (wondering what is around the corner for them to discover) a market where friends can meet or bump into each other, a markets where you can spend time enjoying yourself wandering through the diverse stalls, or a market to sit for breakfast, lunch, dinner or just a coffee and cake. We as stallholders are excited about the improvements and the positive attitude surrounding us at the E Shed markets.

I have also been approached by many customers, locals, and out of towners who express their sadness about how the Freo Markets are looking at the moment and of how the ex stallholders have been treated. They vow they will never set foot back in the Freo Markets and will be shopping at E Shed and supporting us all here.

I went to the council meeting last night and attached are a few comments I emailed to Georgie Adeane;

Hi Georgie,

I thought I would email you and give you my thoughts on last night’s meeting.

I’m pretty much a novice at this sort of thing and the procedures of Council meetings, so I must admit I don’t really understand a whole lot of what is going on. For example when the Mayor suggested going for dinner the first time, I think about 8.30-9pm, some of the Councillors suggested they jump ahead so as not to keep the people waiting any longer than needed and the Mayor agreed with this. The mayor then jumped ahead to item # 1002 which was debated for more than 45 minutes. Although I found it interesting I was also puzzled as to why Item # 1002 was discussed before Item # 1001. When this debate was finished, about 10pm, the Mayor then strongly suggested a break for dinner again, even though we were still sitting & waiting for item #1001, which to my mind was quite rude of him considering he had agreed before to not keep people waiting unnecessarily & he could obviously see we were still waiting. Thankfully he was out voted. This may seem a petty point, but for me I felt he was being pointedly inconsiderate.

Listening to some of these Councillors speak I was gobsmacked that one of them actually admitted that to ‘his knowledge’ only one stallholder had been evicted. Where has he been for the last 6 months? I would have thought as a councillor he would have felt it his responsibility to keep up to date on an issue affecting the community as much as Freo Markets issue has been. Does he not feel embarrassed to actually have said what he said? Also, beside the fact that more than one stallholder has been evicted, it is a very small line between total eviction and being evicted from a stall you paid a lot of money for and being offered a lease for an unsuitable, smaller stall in a back area near the toilets. He commented some stallholders had not taken up a lease they had been offered, it would be similar to him having invested time and money to be an elected member of council and being told by the mayor his seat was now delegated to the lobby during Council session. I actually could go on and on disputing what he said but I know you ask the same questions.

One more point I felt strongly about was another of the Councillors mentioned that ‘Council had no obligation to ex Freo Market stallholders’.
‘It also does not have an obligation to find other premises for their businesses.’
Amazing that they feel they have an obligation to the pine warehouse tenant but not to ex stallholders of the Freo Markets. 41 of them who have helped build the markets into the most popular markets in the state, or at least they used to be. The many businesses that have left the markets attracted customers into Fremantle who would have payed to use council facilities, and spent money at other businesses in the vicinity of the markets. And Councillors think they have no obligation to these people who are no longer at the market. Have any of these Councillors been through the market lately? Are they aware many locals will not support these markets? Is he aware many customers in the surrounding areas no longer support the markets? Is he actually aware of how few people purchase goods at the markets now? Is he also aware of the ill feeling towards the markets by the people of Perth who have been keeping up to date with what has been happening at the markets?

We sat and listened to a debate on the farmers market and heard that council does not want to lose these markets, but if you think about it, the number of stallholders lost out of the Freo Markets is equivalent to a farmers market and these stallholders lost to the Freo Markets are all stallholders that were popular with the people who visited the markets every week, and because it was in the centre of the town these were the people who paid for parking and then went on to buy a coffee or have lunch or breakfast at one of the other business along Markets St. This was for 3 days not just for 1 morning. Again these ex stallholders were more valuable to the economy of Fremantle than a farmers market.

I’m not trying to disparage the farmers market, more trying to give a comparison.

Most of the ex stallholders were permanent tenants, which should be a consideration, as any market that does not have lock up facilities would not be appropriate.

Georgie to be honest I am now at the E Shed Markets, as are a few other ex Freo Stallholders, and I am very happy with these markets and the management. Although I am making very little money it is a much nicer atmosphere and a lot of locals have expressed their support for myself, the E Shed and the other ex stallholders now also at the E Shed. I personally don’t feel an urgent need for another market at the pine warehouse but if it should eventuate as a market I would love to be part of it and will also support any other stallholders who do have an urgent need to lobby for this.

Many thanks for you support and I look forward to speaking to you again in the near future.

(Name withheld on my advice)
For the latest post:
http://sonyagreen.blogspot.com

Fremantle Markets - May be time for a tax audit?

A couple of interesting pieces from the Catalyse Survey, Council commissioned in the months before the lease was signed. Notice on the Intro page the Murdoch’s were uncooperative, not just to the survey company but also the Council, about releasing stallholders details - no surprises there.

The "suggestions" on page 2 reads like a Council list of "What should we ignore".

Introduction and research method

Under the terms of the Local Government Act 1995, should a Council be proposing to dispose a property with a transaction value over $1,000,000 then the sale is classified as a “Major Land Transaction”. Before entering into a Major Land Transaction the Council must first prepare a Business Plan, advertise the availability of the Business Plan for comment and then consider any submissions received in relation to the proposed transaction.
In September 2007 the City of Fremantle released an updated Business Plan for public comment.

In February 2008 CATALYSE was commissioned to conduct an independent research study among stallholders to determine levels of awareness and support for the Business Plan.

The study was designed by CATALYSE and administered by the ECU Survey Research Centre using Computer Assisted Telephone Interviews (CAT)
On request from the Market Managers, all interviewing was conducted between Monday 18February and Wednesday 20 February, 2008.

Stallholders’ details were sourced at (broken link) www.fremantlemarkets.com.au/whattosee.asp

- Additional contact information was supplied from the Fremantle Markets’ Stallholders Association, and from current and past Stallholders.
-While the City of Fremantle requested an up-to-date list of Stallholders from the current Market Managers, and also sought permission from the Market Managers to conduct an audit of stallholders to update contact details, both requests were refused. (WHY?)

111 stallholders completed a survey (from 146 contacts in the database.
- 21 contacts were unobtainable during the study period (incorrect details / called more than 10 times with no contact / etc)
- 14 stallholders were unable to participate (too ill) or refused.
- Of those who completed the survey, 86 were permanent and 25 were casual stallholders.

Survey data as received by CATALYSE and analysed using SPSS. To protect the privacy of individual participants, we only presented anonymous and aggregated responses in this report, individual survey responses are not released to the City of Fremantle, nor any other parties.

Strategic Insights

-Given that the new Business Plan affects all stallholders in Fremantle Markets, it is concerning that 1 in 5 stallholders surveyed have not read or heard others talking about the new plan
-When changes in the new Business Plan were tested among all respondents, the study revealed that there is majority support for the five year leases and for disputes to be handles through the State Administrative Tribunal.
-While most stallholders (68%) would like the City of Fremantle representatives to be included in the Work Group, a large minority (23%) oppose the involvement of the City of Fremantle in this group.
-Just over half the stallholders rated the performance of the current Market Managers as quite good or very good.
-Among those who have read or heard others talking about the Business Plan, many (64%) would be happy for the City of Fremantle to enter into a new lease with the current Market Managers.
- However, it should be noted that a large minority, 1 in 4 stallholders (27%) are NOT happy for the City of Fremantle to enter into a new lease with the current Market Managers.
-Furthermore, 24% of stallholders who participated in the study rated the performance of the current Market Managers as quite poor or very poor: 18% said performance was only ‘just acceptable’.

To address stallholders concern, consider the following suggestions:

-Consult the Fremantle Markets Stallholders association about the new Business Plan
-Include the Market Managers and representatives from both the City of Fremantle and the Fremantle Markets stallholders Association in the Working Group
- Agree on rules / guidelines for 1) setting and managing rent increases 2) tenure (including the location / relocation of sites) and 3) selling / purchasing stalls
-Consult stallholders about changing / extending trading hours for Fremantle Markets
- Improve the way the markets are managed (including greater transparency and fairness with decision –making, improved professionalism and better communication with stallholders)

My take:
None of the above concerns or suggestions have been taken seriously or implemented.

Why, with all the accountancy background of the Murdoch’s, would there be no complete or accurate database of stallholder contact details? Why has council not insisted that there should be one? Perhaps the ATO should do a thorough investigation on the record keeping at Freo markets; what other vital statistics are missing?

In light of the support in this study, might I refer you back to the letter sent out to stallholders by the Murdoch’s, asking for backing and making promises that persuaded stallholders to back them. You will clearly see why the stallholders and council now feel so betrayed. http://sonyagreen.blogspot.com/2009/12/trust-me-would-i-lie-to-you.html
Or, how about repeating the study Now.



For the latest post:http://sonyagreen.blogspot.com

Adele Carles fights for fremantle markets

Last Sunday Adele Carles impressed everyone at the Fremantle Market rally. Unlike many politicians, there was no double talk or empty promises or excuses. She went straight to the point and made her intentions clear. It’s time to act and it’s time to right a wrong.

Adele has been thorough in her research and has put in a massive amount of time and energy. True to her word, she was off and running Monday morning. Stallholders and the community need to step up now and back her.

She has spoken with a lot of stallholders and has most of the detail but some people have been hesitant to speak and I fear that they may not realize that someone is there to help them. There are a few people who have language difficulties or fear authority. I ask all stallholders to unite and make sure that no one is forgotten. Take people by the hand if they feel intimidated. Everyone needs to know that they are safe and they can speak candidly and honestly with her.


She said at the rally that she needs everyone to contact her within the next two weeks.
Please call her office on 336 7000 or email adele.carles@mp.wa.gov.au or just write her a letter.

Mayor Pettit did not show at the rally and since the eviction and dismantling of the stallholders association we have heard nothing from him other than: let’s move on and his suggestion that all the fuss was a personality conflict. Sad to say, it looks like the new mayor is just another Tagliaferri; a missing mayor.

There is no doubt that the council is responsible for this destructive lease, and so far, every indication is that they would rather have the markets collapse than admit fault or show leadership. 25% of the stallholders have already left; more are trying to sell out or are planning on leaving within the next few months. Even the building itself is in a state of neglect. The council is willing to throw 5Million bucks at it, but who is keeping watch? Why has council allowed the repair and maintenance to go unchecked? Are the ratepayers of Fremantle expected to finance the Murdoch Empire? I thought the markets were a Fremantle asset.


Is Fremantle council just lazy, incompetent or indifferent? Those lawyers knew exactly what they were doing when they drew up that lease – they were blowing off the stallholders, totally excluding them and the people of Freo.

It is on record that the Murdoch’s threatened litigation and stated that they would run the markets into the ground if they didn’t get a lease renewal. Obviously, council caved in due to bullying and the stallholders have become the sacrificial lambs.

Council lawyers knew there was no legal threat. But surely the point was that if they were making these threats with only a few years to go on the lease then why did council think that signing them up for another 20 years would be a solution? It would be the very reason to NOT sign them up.

Do the people of Fremantle know that the custodians of their properties are making decision based purely on intimidation?



For the latest post:
http://sonyagreen.blogspot.com

Stallholders plea to Fremantle Council (again)

Colin Wright speaking at the rally in Jan 2010.

2 years ago, many stallholders attended the Special Meeting of the Fremantle Council to hear the decision on the Market Lease. It would affect many of our lives and we were all interested in the outcome. Stallholders were divided on who should run the markets, as was the council, and this was reflected in the 7-6 vote to return the lease to the Murdoch family.

During this period many promises, guarantees and commitments were made but one outstanding quote by Jamie Murdoch sums up the duplicity of what has been allowed to happen since that evening.

In response to this question from Cr. Bill Massie

“So the current stallholders are guaranteed security?"

Jamie answered: quote
“We don't want to lose any stallholders, we want all the stallholders we have to come along. We have 200 stallholders who are all fantastic people, who we want to continue. We don't want to preclude any stallholders from anything. We want to give them the opportunity to come along for the next 10-20 years.”

He also went on to tell councillors, on many occasions throughout his presentation, that the Fremantle Markets would remain:
Firstly: a secure low cost trading environment and that they would put policies in place to do this.

And Secondly: as part of their Fremantle Markets Business Plan they would offer stallholders security of tenure with new 5 year agreements and 5 year options .

So as you can imagine, to the councillors listening to his presentation, the stallholders were going to be looked after, and I believe that that was important to most of them.

So what changed once the lease was signed?

What’s happened inside these walls and at Council that continually keeps the Markets dispute in the papers and causes a stallholder like Ed Seah to organize this rally.

Simple…the guarantees weren’t honoured and now about 40 of those stallholders… “the ones who Jamie said were all fantastic people” were, either priced out, relocated, downsized, or simply no longer wanted at the markets i.e. evicted.

The problem then for council was that they had also had made guarantees, in a public meeting, to all the stallholders and six of the councillors, that our businesses would be safe, under the new lease…Mark Scott even asked the question twice … he wanted to be sure. The ex-mayor also endorsed this point of view…

So what ever happened to those guarantees …We’ve asked Council, many times, but they have never answered those questions. We’re asking again today, for Ed and all the others who have lost their businesses:

…why have you failed to honour your guarantees?

Let’s also look at another of the Murdoch commitments,that of a:

“Low Cost Trading Environment”. This was a crucial component for stallholders and also a cornerstone of their presentation to Council. Markets need low rents in order to remain competitive. What has been allowed to happen, with the exorbitant rent hikes, now sees our rents higher than most in the Freo CBD and up with the most expensive market rents in the country. These unsustainable increases coincided with the Global Financial crisis, a weakening retail environment and greater insecurity surrounding small business. The timing couldn’t have been worse.

With these rent hikes we’ve lost our competitive advantage, prices have to go up or you go broke; and that’s what is happening. A market by definition must offer value for money, otherwise it becomes another shopping centre minus the trimmings; no air conditioning, no free parking and no terrazzo floors. How can stallholders possibly maintain market prices on their goods when they are being slugged like this? The high rents and overheads are driving established businesses out, while at the same time, new stallholders are apparently given the incentive of subsidized rents - to fill the empty stalls which are starting to appear.

Empty stalls are a new phenomena - it’s unheard of over the last 30 years.

Remember in all this, Council only passed on a modest 12% rent increase with the new lease to the Murdoch’s. Stallholders on the other hand have been slugged between 50% –100% and in some case considerably higher. They say it’s “Fair Market Rent” and the independent valuation proves it. We say it’s no longer the low cost environment you promised and the exodus of stallholders shows this.

If 40 businesses disappeared from along South Terrace, Market or High Street, Council and the Chamber of Commerce would swing into action as a matter of urgency. When it happens inside these walls everybody, including the new mayor, duck for cover. They hope it will eventually go away but it won’t, not before, before more lives are shattered through the decisions and unwillingness to act by the council. These are small family businesses and in Ed’s case, he supports three children as a single parent and a sick and aging father who started this souvenir business 30 years ago.

It’s ironic that the Murdoch’s, who threatened to run the markets into the ground if they didn’t win the lease cited their family’s long and successful connection with the market as a major reason why they should retain it.

It’s typical then of this management, that Ed and the other long term family businesses, which have been forced out, could not argue their long term connection with the markets entitled them to have their lease renewed as well. (photo of Eds dad who also ran the stall for many years)
What’s also maddening is that these very stallholders, who have lost their livelihoods, are now publicly criticized by Jamie Murdoch for generating bad press and ruining the trade for those who remain. Nothing could be further from the truth! However, we should not be manipulated into silence through guilt, when the real reason for poor trading and loss of regular customers can be levelled at management decisions, rather than ex stallholders telling their story to the papers.

On a Wednesday night, 12 months ago, 100 stallholders filled the Council Chamber and told their stories of how they were being affected. Emails flooded the CEO’s in box, the message was clear and unequivocal: Our businesses are under threat, we cannot sustain the rents, people will leave - what are you going to do? Fremantle Markets is an icon - the time to act is now.

One possible conclusion to draw from this is that the Fremantle City Council condones the action of the Markets management and their treatment of stallholders.

Brad Petitt told the Herald that “Council is bound by the head lease and are not responsible for the day to day running of the Markets.” That’s not completely true because through the “Fremantle Markets Operating Strategy”, a key component of the head lease: Council has the flexibility to alter the lease, hold management accountable and to govern the direction the market takes. Changes can be made through the Markets Working Group but they haven’t chosen to take this course of action.

Maybe they are comfortable with this mayhem?"

I don’t believe they are; and for the councilors, both those who supported or opposed the lease, there is a growing sense of injustice and wrong in the way this is being handled. The councillors, who voted for this lucrative lease, and the officers who recommended it, should acknowledge that what was promoted and sold to them by the Murdoch’s, to support the Markets remaining in their hands, is not what has been delivered.

The awarding of the Fremantle Markets lease, without an open tender process, was always going to be clouded in controversy and what has happened since reinforces that view:

1. “Why hasn’t the Council enforced the Business Plan”?

2. Were misrepresentations made to council which contravenes the Trade Practices Act?

3. Would the council seriously investigate this for fear of uncovering incompetence within their own walls?

In the meantime, the Ed’s and other small business operators who believed the Council were looking after their interests now find themselves without their business - their livelihoods - their goodwill - their income or their superannuation.

To Brad Petitt, the Fremantle Council and the new councillors: This fiasco continues to degenerate; it’s an ongoing public disgrace. Six more stallholders have left this month; more are lining up to go.

Don’t keep sweeping it under the table, act to defend what is right and just here…show leadership on this issue.

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Fremantle Market rally pictures

Hundreds of Fremantle locals came to the Jan 31st rally to protest and show support for the Fremantle Markets. This is only a small glimpse but a poignant one, as once again, the same councillors who fought in the beginning are the same ones who showed up to let us know they are still listening. Donna Haney, John Dowson, Georgie Adeane, Bill Massie and the always present Les Lauder's energy.
Adele Carles; a politician who gets things done with intelligence, honesty and heart. (Watch this space for greater things to come)
Colin Wright's speech had me in tears and the people cheering and ringing bells.
Georgie Adeane: A councillor who still remembers why she joined council. When the soul of the city is respected and valued by it's leaders - it shows.
Ed's shop - closing down. Ed organised the rally and the sadness of this eviction was heartfelt throughout the port city.
sonyagreen.blogspot.com

Brad Pettitt - Remember Freo Markets?

This week I sat with yet another group of people who have been financially and emotionally traumatised by FMPL. The majority were long term successful operators and I found it particularly poignant that some spoke of knowing Jamie Murdoch as a child, working for his dad who had the lease at the time. It’s hard to imagine that that small boy would become the man who would so easily and clinically wipe them out.

The sense of betrayal was probably greater than the confusion and anger that they felt. Some of these people had not only backed the Murdoch bid on the lease renewal but they also actively wrote letters of recommendation and rallied on their behalf.

Even as the rents and outgoings skyrocketed and they witnessed the conflict, evictions and the loss of friends and colleagues they still believed it was all probably a part of a higher plan. They trusted the Murdoch’s and offered support and loyalty.

When it comes to retail it’s really just a matter of convenience, location, cost and value for money. Retailers come and go and that’s a fact of life. Buying an apple at the supermarket and comparing it to buying an apple from Scottie at the Freo markets is hardly an earth shattering event – so what’s all the fuss about?

It's about community and it’s about belonging. Sure, you shop at the markets and yes it is a commercial venue and of course it must be financially viable and competitive. Shopping centres are light, spacious, organized, structured and well facilitated. You will pay more for products but the advantage is fast and efficient service and it’s perfect for quick in and out shopping.

Market shopping is almost opposite that style. Market shopping is an outing, relaxed browse or exhibition. Going to the markets is not a task – it is somewhere to go or something to do. People don’t necessarily go with a set plan or list of what to buy. They want to be surprised; to find something unusual or a bargain or a treat.

People can rush into a supermarket in their lunch hour but in the markets they want to wander around, talk with shopkeepers, catch up on the news on the street, people watch, try products, smell exotic fragrance and aromas, sample foods, listen to a cacophony of sound, be teased and entertained, to buy without pressure or slick sales spiels, grab an ice cream or a beer and watch the busker and the passing parade of interesting looking characters.

In short, they want to be a part of a community, to feel comfortable and to feel like they fit in as individuals not as something attached to a credit card. For tourists or out of towner's it is an exciting place. Veteran stallholders might not speak all languages but they do speak the language of “welcome stranger – how can I assist you”.

Like cab drivers and barmaids around the world these are the people who know where to go, how to get there, what is safe. These people are the ones you trust, people who still take the time to ‘shoot the breeze’ with the customers. Locally though, it is so much more than that.

I heard about a lady the other week and I think she summed it up nicely. She just said “What has happened to the markets - it feels like it has lost its soul.” She went on to say that she has come to the markets every Friday after work (for more than 10 years) to buy her veg from Scottie, grab a pancake and then wander over to the antique shop to chat with the owner who she befriended many years ago.

And this is the Magic that the Murdoch’s don’t understand and will never replicate again. There are thousands of locals who came because Penny Banister knew their name, Herman teased them as they walked by, Phil talked astrology, Col knew his horticulture and many said it was the best stall there, Richard stocked their enviro friendly products and knew what he was talking about, Marilyn had warmth and kind words, people like Mary Cole were just loved and admired, people like Milton, who could have retired years ago, is held up as an example and all the locals know and respect him.

We expect to see Ed, Gerry, Gloria, Sue, Angelo, Liz, Richard D, Bob the others who prefer not to be mentioned, but you won’t see them and you won’t hear laughter coming from the magnet shop, or de-stress in the bonsai shop, joke or haggle with the veggie guys; in fact you won’t hear much laughter at all.

There are so many more; many go back twenty or thirty years. They have seen each other go through tough times and celebrated marriages and births and grieved together more than a few times. They have watched children become adults and now some of those children have taken over the family business. For many people this has become the second family or the community’s family, something which evolved over many years and it is this that held the secret of the markets former success.

An accountants’ mind might argue that this is business and that the markets are not there for the psychology or wellbeing of the community. It’s about profit. And this is the fundamental flaw in their thinking - because loyal, repeat custom is profit. This is your free multi million dollar advertising, marketing and customer base. This is why your apples are better than any other apples. You can bank on that!

That guy from Singapore who dropped into Ed’s shop to buy a cheap postcard left with a few good tips of where to eat, catch a bus or find good accom. Mostly what he left with was a reason to tell his friends and his family about the friendly helpful people at Freo markets. He might be the guy who will post his holiday pics on his facebook or blog. He might be the guy who comes back a week later with a bunch of new friends he met at the backpackers. He might be the new unofficial Singaporean representative for a holiday in Fremantle. He might have only bought a $2 card on the day, but his word of mouth might be bringing in exponential dollars for years to come.

What really infuriates me is that Fremantle council knows this. Fremantle markets have been a magnet for tourist, an incubator for new business and innovative ideas, a community meeting place, the local town crier, and financially in their own words ‘the jewel in the crown – the icon’. The money in their parking metres, the prosperity throughout the CBD, the week end boom-time is their commercial bread and butter. When the markets go the dominos fall and businesses (rate paying businesses) will be effected and leave.

So don’t tell me that the little second hand bookshop is insignificant!

And stop telling me about cheap rent. The mere pittance of your so called ‘low cost environment’ translates into millions of dollars for you and the Murdoch’s. Rent was never, ever, a gift or charity nor was it cheap if you break it down into how limited the facilities and spaces are. It was to some extent just smart business - with you and the Murdoch’s cashing up in dollars by saving them a few cents. You gave them crumbs but you ate the loaf and asked for more.

If you want to talk about dollars and cents try some real number crunching. Take the markets out of Freo and work out an advertising, marketing and promotional campaign to bring people and business back to Freo.

While you are now budgeting for the mammoth restoration work of the bricks and mortar we are still wondering why the ratepayers are forking out the millions to repair what should have been maintained and repaired throughout the last lease. Why has council not been doing thorough annual checks on the building? You are the custodians aren’t you? Why are the Murdoch’s not being bought into question about the neglect of the building or being accountable financially?

My question to Fremantle council is why they are investing this kind of money in the building if the business within the building is in such a vulnerable state? Cynically, I could assume that council will be paid rent by the Murdoch’s until the lease expires no matter what happens. But, that will be cold comfort if you lose business and reputation throughout the entire CBD. It’s time that both parties stopped thinking in terms of real estate; this is not just about rent and both of you had better work that out fast.

The council screwed up badly and they know it. The X mayor couldn’t cope and ran away and hid. The new mayor said it’s a matter of mediation and that he would be having talks…no one has heard anything more than his airy comment about moving on. We might as well move on, but let’s move on from the point that we all know that mistakes were made, litigation and intimidation played its part, personality conflict hindered communication, time and money and effort is still daunting but all of that is getting bigger and bigger and it is not going away.

You can blame the recession and you can blame the stallholders association and you can blame bad press, but truth is truth, and no one is fooled. It’s costly, stressful and acrimonious now, but it will be more so, if everyone refuses to get real.

No matter how much you didn’t want to hear what the stallholder association was saying they did at least keep it contained. If you think that removing them put it all to bed then you are delusional. You don’t have a rational voice speaking on behalf of the collective stall holders or the ratepayers. What you have now is countless angry voices rising up to meet you.

Facts:
At least thirty businesses have been forced out of the market – legally robbed by your error. More are leaving this week and more in months to come.
New casual tenants are either refusing to sign on or are being offered subsidized rents.
Vacancy rates this Christmas were the highest it has ever been.
People who have re-signed have been backed into a corner and many are just trying to hang in long enough to be able to sell out or get out debt free or break even.
Customer traffic is declining rapidly
Stalls are currently empty
Morale and atmosphere is depressing
The place looks shabby
People are getting sick from the lack of air cond.
Advertising is minimal or ineffective
Christmas trade was so bad some paid rent out of pocket
Wednesdays ‘trial’ was embarrassing and grossly overstated and misleading
Most of the promises in the original proposal have been broken
The operating strategy is a joke
The working group is ….can’t even describe that
Tagliaferri and council promises have been broken
Stallholders are too fearful to speak up
Members of the association have been victimised and evicted
Stallholders have been warned not to speak to the press of even each other about their grievances.
People have been told they can no longer sell established products or deal with established suppliers.
Stall holders have been ‘advised’ to sack their own employees
Part time jobs have been lost
New people are being bought in with competing products and favourable advantages creating conflict and resentment between them and established businesses.
People have been given notice without reason and by a note being left on their counter

The stallholders are obviously bitter and angry and devastated but it’s now the customers who are only footsteps from your door. You won’t hear them coming but more importantly, you won’t even notice as they walk away.

Of course I could be wrong and this might just be my point of view and maybe the stallholders and customers might just be of the same mind. Perhaps Jamie Murdoch is the only one who really understands. Apparently he thinks so as he sent out this masterpiece last week in a newsletter:

2009 was a difficult year for retail… We’ve had feedback…For example…our research…Our statistics….When speaking to our customers we have learned …
Well, it’s been tough but we fared pretty well by comparison.

But this:

“2009 was a difficult year in terms of relationships with some stallholders and, sadly, some Councillors. Things were not made easier by some very one-eyed reporting by the Fremantle Herald. But the biggest disappointment of 2009 was seeing outgoing stallholders, who have always claimed to have the interest of the Markets at heart, handling their departures in a way that was clearly designed to damage Fremantle Markets, with no regard to the harm their actions might do to the business of loyal stallholders.”

I wonder if Freo Council is living in the same alternate Universe. Mayor Pettitt, is that how you see it? Troublemakers and paparazzi?

Go to latest Sonya Green post:
http://sonyagreen.blogspot.com

Fremantle Council and Fremantle Markets - It's on again

Why are we asking the same questions today that have been asked over and over for the past year or two? Why are we still showing up with the dead bodies and still wondering why this is happening and who is responsible and who is going to do something about it?

It seems to me that we are all just playing a role in a melodrama and ooing and ahhing and aint that a shaming throughout. Sad stories about ‘little Aussie battlers being done over by the greedy landlords’. Ironic really, as we approach Australia day next week end.

Ironic also, that Ed sells Australiana products and souvenirs. The little flags that people wave to celebrate the Australian way. What are those little Aussie catch cries again? She’ll be right mate. A fair go for all. Mates help mates. Equal opportunities…

Except this Australia day Ed is another of the “Tourist icon’s” latest casualty.

The Murdoch’s might have reasons for this culling but it seems pretty clear that many of these businesses are being stolen due to their location and should be bought out by the Murdoch’s at fair value.

The very people who have made the Murdoch’s, the council and the markets both successful and prosperous are the very people who are now walking away or being forced out and left financally and emotionally devastated.

This of course is only a matter of fair play, ethics and community good-will but it would be naïve of me or anyone else here to pretend that those qualities matter in this day and age or in this town or indeed in business. The bottom line is the bottom line. We just like to appear to uphold these ideals.

So let’s not even pretend today that we are here save another victim. Let’s not pretend that we don’t know that more are only weeks or months away from leaving. Let’s pretend that the stallholders association did not predict all of this more than a year ago. And let us pretend that we all believe that the original business plan set out by the Murdoch’s was examined or analysed or that measures were put in place to make sure that the Murdoch’s would comply with those promises or that there would be accountability or consequences or even a course of action by council. Let’s pretend that the council, the custodians of the peoples market, have some control or authority.

Or instead of pretending let’s just ask questions of the council:

If 30-40 small businesses were forced off High St would council have a workable damage control? Or is there some discrimination about a small business operating within a market environment that would make that somehow different?

If rents and outgoings doubled along the café strip would council be a little more concerned or pro-active?

What exactly is an operating strategy? Can anybody approach council with one of these “Appear to be seen… documents” and then be left to do as they please? Does council actually exercise any control or even follow up on these things?

Is council’s lack of action and lack of control really just a subtle form of condoning such disregard for these documents and contracts?

Why did the head lease not include any rights, security, protection or indeed acknowledgement of the sub leases?

Is the Fremantle Market a joint venture between council and the Murdoch’s or do the ratepayers and small businesses actually have a say?

It seems to me that the stallholders are pulling the rents through the door and the ratepayers are about to fork out nearly 5 million dollars worth of restoration work; not to mention the discrepancy of a 12% council increase in rents as opposed to the 80% Murdoch increase. Has anyone there even pondered the near 60% dupe to the ratepayer? Or the ten years council will need to break even while many millions will go straight into the Murdoch pocket - if the market still exists in ten years

Is anyone still holding true the 'directed and confidential' evaluation even though new casual traders are being offered subsidized rents or the fact that tenants are NOT being replaced at all?

And last but not least, can council or management please define what you actually think a market is?

Because the big question will be, “What are you going to do with the newly restored empty asset that used to be a market?”

Sonya Green
http://sonyagreen.blogspot.com

Fremantle markets. Golden goose is a swan song

It's a new year. Last year there was hope and an opportunity to turn things around but the time has come to accept what is and walk away. Too many talking and too few listening. I think it's important to speak up and it's important to fight against injustice and or stupidity. It's important to throw all you have at it. But there comes a day when you must accept that there are higher pictures in place and quite often good things come from bad.

Future consequences are usually preditcable from past experience if one maintains awareness. Empathy is an excellent teacher but for some, failure, loss or grief needs to be experienced before they get the lesson.

When people are in the right place it feels right. When stress, fear, worry and anger take over your life it's time to move on. There are infinite ways to make money or replace money. There are infinite ways of enjoying your life. New pathways rarely appear if you won't turn the corner.

The Murdoch's were given the goose that laid the golden eggs. They jumped on its belly to see if it would lay more. I don't get it, you don't understand it, we all tried to explain that if they fed, nurtured and protected it they would have eggs for ever. We warned them that they would kill it. We sceamed when they jumped. But, that's just the way some people are...

For reasons very different to Brad Pettitts - It's time we all moved on.

http://sonyagreen.blogspot.com/

Fremantle markets - the year that was

Looking back on the last year I can’t help but note how predictable it was back then and how nothing much has been done to prevent any of it.

The market now operates as two separate entities; a food market and a merchandise market - both have different operating hours. Around 30 businesses have left the markets, stall vacancy is at an all time record, new merchants are being given discounted (subsidized) rents just to pull them in, further rent increases have occurred, ex stallholders are operating outside the market, Thursday trade was reintroduced and left many paying rent out of pocket, priority air conditioning has not been installed and temps reach in excess of 40 degress, customers have greatly diminished, Christmas profits were down by half, stalls have been relocated and downsized, anger and hatred have halted all communication between stallholders and management, the markets look tacky and the food area is extraordinarily ordinary, Key members of the stallholder association have been evicted or forced to leave, some have sold out well below value and many more have walked away losing their investment and livelihood, month-to-month tenancies have been offered instead of secure long term leases, council and the Murdoch’s have been questioned and exposed by the media and both have lost reputation within the community, the new Wednesday market flopped and finished within weeks of opening, almost everything in the Murdoch proposal or business plan has either not happened at all or has been the very opposite of what they promised.

It's new years eve today and we can now start the count down… In the end, it might well be the Murdoch’s walking in the same shoes; no stallholders, no customers, no profits. Just a nice long secure lease and a big fat rent to pay.

But of course they will blame those “trouble making stallholders”
What was it again? Oh, that’s right – a personality conflict!


http://sonyagreen.blogspot.com/

Fremantle Market 'Bollocks"

Pre-Christmas is usually the time of year that the Markets do a roaring trade. This year many of the stallholders have stated that profits were down by as much as 50% compared to previous years. The heat didn’t help and the lack of effective promotion and advertising also had an effect. Rents have doubled which is an obvious cause but the enforced Thursday opening also incurred significant additional costs. Many people were furious about the wasted time and in some cases loss of perishable stock. Some took advantage of the free time by chatting to other stallholders, reading books and one or two had a little siesta behind the counter. That’s how bad it was and some even confided that the Thursday rent was paid out of pocket.

Management sent out a newsletter suggesting that it would be a good idea if stallholders had a 10% discount on Boxing Day!!! How about a 10% Rent Reduction Day?

I have already said too many times that the market is in a state of decline and everyone is well aware of the mass exodus of long term stallholders and their regular and loyal customer base. I have covered the emotional and financial devastation as well as the covert intimidation and manipulation; stall relocation and down sizing and monthly leasing rather than long term secure leases.

Many times I have been staggered by the perceptions or the spin doctoring of the market management. I have directly quoted many of the written documentations stating outright propaganda.

The Wednesday Farmers market fiasco was there for anyone to witness and yet all the press releases asserted how wonderful and successful they were. I’ll not even bother commenting on it again.

In a recent newsletter the empty stall spaces were described as resting benches for shoppers to sit and chat. Apparently ‘customer feed back’ about the little resting bays was very positive.

I have excerpted a few recent newsletters as I see the irony and marveled at how these people think. They whine about whining, accuse stallholders of bullying and see their victims as ‘troublemakers’ for expressing the truth of what has happened to them and to the market itself. It’s all just a bit perplexing but insulting and callous none the less:


“We have had complaints from customers and from stall holders who have lost customers about the attitudes of some of our merchants who think whining during trading times is going to help trade.

Please concentrate on your own business and if you want to whine and moan please do it when we have closed our doors to the public not when they are trying to enjoy a day out. It is incredible to think merchants assume our customers are remotely interested in negativity.”

“Merchants that continue to read books while trading or fall asleep in front of customers will be asked to explain why they are here. You would be better off staying home and letting us have the space for the traders waiting to get in.”

(Isn't the real question, “Why are traders reading books and falling asleep? Who are these traders “waiting to get in”? Surely those plants and benches could have made room for paying tenants.)

“Never let facts get in the way of a good story!!!
So far we have heard amazing stories from some of our merchants, customers and other news sources concerning… the licenses that were offered, taking away stalls, driving people out.

If you are interested in facts and not bollocks keep reading….

The Fremantle Markets is being constantly bagged by the same stall holders who would have us believe they care about you. If that was the case then why are they trying to destroy the very environment where you trade?

The departure of certain operators means we can finally get on with the business of making The Yard the best place to source quality, local and grower direct produce and WA foods.

It will allow us to open The Yard in March 2010 and then turn our attention to The Hall and begin work in there.
The merchants who will continue to trade in The Yard alongside all the new operators are here to work with us and are committed to our vision for the improvement of the markets.
The new merchants are productive, proactive and professional operators and we welcome them with open arms and thank them for their support through a very long year.”

“The Fremantle Market considers that bullying in the workplace is inappropriate and unacceptable behaviour…

Bullying is unlawful under the Occupational Safety and Health Act 1984 and the Occupational Safety and Health Regulations 1996.
The Fremantle market is committed to providing a working environment that is free from bullying…

The conduct sets out principles for behavior required in the workplace, namely that:
Anyone that works or trades within the markets should be treated with respect.
All Stall holders and Management should develop awareness about the impact of their behaviour on others.There is a continual agreement about what is appropriate behavior at work.
The Fremantle Market considers that bullying in the workplace is inappropriate and unacceptable behaviour.
Stall holders or Management found to have either committed or condoned such behaviour in the markets will be subject to immediate disciplinary action.The purpose of this document is to provide an effective means to assist management and stall holders.

DEFINITIONS OF A BULLY:
A bully is a person who uses strength or power to coerce others by fear. To bully is to oppress, persecute, physically or morally by threat of superior force.
It is anyone who uses their position in power or strength of personality to misuse their authority against stall holders and management.While bullying is normally associated with unequal power relationships, peer to peer bullying is not uncommon and is equally unacceptable behaviour at the Fremantle Markets.
A variety of behaviours and acts may constitute bullying which create a negative workplace”

(Ah, that’s too funny. I believe you can pick up an official complaints form from the management. Good luck with that)

“Another form of despicable behaviour which seems to go unchecked is the constant running down of the Fremantle Markets and in particular FMPL and its staff to customers…Real customers are not interested…

(Do you think? I think Real Customers are very interested in what is happening to THEIR market and indeed are asking why the vibrant, friendly community feel is missing or why their regular people are missing – Seems management doesn’t know where they are. I have had a number of people contact me to ask about stallholders who are missing after calling the markets and being told that they have no contact for those X tenants!!!)

“The attempt by a minority in trying to destroying the reputation of the Fremantle Markets has and will continue to affect your business’s turnover.
There is a wonderful saying that a stall holder reminded me of the other day.
DON”T P… IN YOUR OWN POT… I think that sums it up nicely.”

(That minority are your own tenants, the Fremantle community and the media. Couldn’t possibly be ‘Your actions’ that are destroying that/what reputation.)

John and Jamie - The Melanoma Brothers

I have heard John and Jamie Murdoch called many derogatory names in the last year or two. I have seen a lot of jokes, cartoons and ditties that were funny but served no positive purpose on these pages. I have tried to keep things factual rather than personal. I have even deleted comments from this blog because I thought they were inflammatory. (although, true and justifiable)

Some months ago I noticed more and more people were referring to the Murdoch’s as “The Melanoma Brothers”.

Today John Murdoch has sunk to a new low and I can’t help but think that like a cancer, he should be removed.

While most of the City of Fremantle are still reeling from last month’s evictions and walk-outs he sent out this letter:

Entry not permitted in Fremantle Markets

The Management of Fremantle Markets has received several complaints from stallholders that you were in the Fremantle Markets between 10 December and 13 December 2009 behaving inappropriately and making abusive and rude comments to some stallholders.

These actions were disruptive to our business and to the businesses of our stallholders and to the experience of customers of the Markets.

Accordingly, please note that Fremantle Markets Pty Ltd:
Has determined to exclude you from entry to the Market; and
Will regard you as a trespasser and take appropriate action accordingly if you enter the Markets.

(signed John Murdoch)

Let's not forget that these evicted stallholders were the very people who were ousted because they spoke up FOR the stallholders.

There were no questions asked - no reference to whom or what was alleged – no dialogue at all; just a spiteful and petty email, for what, one last act of violation.

If a melanoma is not detected early and removed it will eat away at the entire organism, often resulting in death.

http://sonyagreen.blogspot.com/

Fremantle Market money song

One of Freo's popular buskers has been taking note of the word on the street and has composed this little song.


Money Market

There once was a market
Where trading was fair
The people came from miles
To laugh and to share
The traders all smiled
And sang as they worked
And the people all knew
This was the salt of the earth.

The market was held
In an old western town
A place on the edge
That the badlands surround
Out of the wilderness
Came a renegade band
That hid behind the sheriff
And the law of the land.

Then plundered the market
And took all they could
While the lawman smiled and winked
Which made them look good
Most of the people knew this was wrong
But they turned a blind eye
‘cause the law was too strong.

Some of the townsfolk tried to resist
They didn’t have the strength
To fight men such as this
The resisters was tarred n feathered
And thrown to the ground
Then to make an example
They were dragged out of town.

Much law is unjust, the law is an ass
Will the people rise up or just lay in the grass
‘tis not the beginning
Nor is it the end
To end an injustice you need Honest men.

Murdochs evict spokesman and force out long term tenants

New councillor Andrew Sullivan’s comments in last weeks Herald should make the new mayor sit up and pay attention. Andrew is impressive on two counts:
His refusal to be censored (gagged) and the balls to speak his truth.
He seems to grasp the importance of looking at new ideas or better options to help the disenfranchised stallholders. He simply states that the stallholders don’t need to be told to get on with it when they are obviously working through grief and suffering.

To me, the mark of a great leader is the rare combination of intelligence AND heart. This is a guy to watch.

Mayor Brad Pettitt’s rather beige comment about the eviction of Colin Wright was not much more than a political exhalation. “Colin and the Murdoch’s are clearly not able to work together any more. It’s best for everyone if they go their separate ways. I can’t see any way forward.” So what’s that – a personality conflict?

Has Brad completely missed the point? Colin Wright was elected by the stallholders to represent and speak on their behalf. Elected and supported because he had the ethics, intelligence, tenacity and most of all the courage to risk his own successful business to protect the vulnerable. Through Colin Wright the council was alerted to very major problems more than a year ago and his predictions and warnings have all now come to this final conclusion.

Removing Colin Wright is not the end of the plight of the stallholders or the predictable conflict to come. The markets are very close to collapsing and when Colin Wright is out of the picture the power of play will be between the Murdoch’s and a council who has so far been happy to deflect their responsibility in the whole sorry saga.

With council planning to spend in excess of 4 million dollars on the markets my suggestion would be to work out first of all if there will be a market by the time the debt is repaid. At a very rough estimate the Murdoch’s will be making squillions but the council will be lucky to break even after ten years.

It would do council and the Murdoch’s well to firstly define what a market is.

Exorbitant rents, lack of savvy traders, loss of customers, inappropriate stall positioning and unviable businesses are what this year turned up – where to now?

http://sonyagreen.blogspot.com/