Cork's English Market

Bradley22

As part of my thesis for my masters degree, I have decided to conduct a study on Cork's English Market.

Nearly every Corkonian has stepped foot in the Market at one stage or another. It dates back to 1788 but still remains Cork's number one food emporium.

Why do people shop in the Market when the supermarkets continue to battle amongst each other relentlessly for every last cent they can get. Yet, the Market just appears to exist, stalls side by side, with no apparent bitter competition or elaborate marketing gimicks.

If you could spare five mins to complete my survey I would greatly appreciate it. The more responses I get, the stronger my results will be and in turn might aid the management with some future decisions for the Market.

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/LLWW7DR

Is maith an t-anlann an t-ocras
Mile buíochas

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/LLWW7DR

who the fug

Can you give us some history of the market, please whilst I fill in thine survey

In the seventies we use to go their for exotic food like garlic

rebel10

Done!:)

It would be great to have a little history put up here.

stevexo

there ya go now

Bradley22

No problem. There is actually a fantastic book on the Market by Donal and Diarmuid O Drisceoil entitled 'Serving a City: The Story of Cork's English Market'.

I will give a quick run down on the Market and if there is any further information that anyone wants, feel free to ask.

For the first 200 years of its history the English Market sold little more than meat, fish, eggs, vegetables and fruit. During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries it mostly served the better off classes and was a more expensive market than the others in the city, selling higher value produce. This changed during the twentieth century and the customer base broadened. The market produce became affordable to more people as wages improved and the cost of food as a proportion of income fell. City centre grocery and provisions shops initially attracted the more affluent customers from the market and the later development of supermarkets and suburban shopping centres continued the trend. The market became increasingly dependent on the custom of Cork’s working class and people on limited budgets, and the range of foods on offer remained relatively limited. The Market, however, did not become distinguished exclusively of the social class of its customers. Although, they now lived in distant suburbs enjoyed comfortable incomes and lifestyles, a number of Cork’s newer middle class retained a relationship, first established by their parents and grandparents, with specific Market traders, and in maintaining their custom prevented the Market from becoming totally dependent on the business of a distinct group.

The English Market had survived the recession of the 1980s and the radical social and economic changes of the period that so profoundly affected Cork. An enclosed city-centre-market, selling a limited range of produce and disproportionately dependent on butchers’ stalls, was by then something of an anachronism. Being enclosed, it was physically separated from the streets outside and isolated, to an extent, from the change that was altering the nature of food retailing. Many traders were still operating their stalls as the previous generations had done and their conservatism often frustrated the work of the Market Traders’ Association. The Market, after 200 years, was taken for granted by the people of the city and their corporation. There was no vision for its future as a market, and property developers, with the support of some city councillors and officials, occasionally cast a greedy eye on its potential as a prime development site. Despite some environmental improvements in 1987, many of the 70 traders were very unhappy with their level of business and, while acknowledging the effects of economic recession, largely blamed the corporation’s policy of removing city–centre on-street parking for the downturn in their trade.

The days when Cork closed its gates from sunset to sunrise barring entry to enemies and strangers are long past. Cork is now an open, vibrant, welcoming city. On the streets of Cork the visitor will hear people speaking in many European and non-European languages. While the new stalls and new food ranges have reinvigorated trade, attracted increased numbers and a greater mix of customers, and drawn much positive media attention, the endurance of the older businesses and the loyalty of their clientele ensured the survival of the English Market through the later decades of the twentieth century through to the current day.

LeNNoX

Survey complete, best of look with the thesis

What are you doing your Masters in ?

Trashbat

Survey done.

What kind of thesis are you doing? Would be interesting to see what results you come up with.

Bradley22

I am doing my masters in Food Business in UCC.

I think everyone has a story about the Market and I find it very interesting to hear the stories. I was chatting to a girl last week who told me that she is now a vegetarian because of the English Market. She said as a child she would be brought into the Market and see the dead animals hanging and the smell was vile. The images have haunted her since. I suppose you can't please everybody.

I have no problem with forwarding on my findings and results to anybody who would be interested in viewing them. The only downfall is that it will take me about another month to analyse and draw up the findings.

Chris_2ne

Bradley22 wrote: »

I have no problem with forwarding on my findings and results to anybody who would be interested in viewing them. The only downfall is that it will take me about another month to analyse and draw up the findings.

I would really appreciate it, if you would please send me on your findings. Please PM me for my email address, ASAP!!!
I am interested in your results as I am currently a student in UCC doing commerce and have a market research project based on the english market.

Thank you for your time in this matter.

gbee

As a kid born in the 50's and primary shopper, I hated the English Market. It was smelly and disgusting.

Going back to the early 60's there were many shops that had game and recently dead animals of all types, fresh blood dripping from their mouths and eyes, but these shops had decent sawdust and they smelt nice as there was the aurora of cooked meats and spices.

The English Market just plain stung of rotting uninviting flesh ~ contrast that with Donovan's right at the corner and I'm guessing that the huge crowds what tried to get into that shop for it's produce simply spilt over into the English Market more so than people actually went there in the first instance.

Roll on Roches Stores ~ as the chief shopper I went there as soon as it opened and my smaller brother terrorised shoppers and staff alike with power shopping and trolley dashes ...

Only Lipton's got a look in when they were giving special orders, like Matchbox toys ~ even though they would have been expensive and I'd have to drop something from the weekly or hold off a purchase to meet the minimum requirements for next week.

But we did shop in the English Market too, particularly for butter that would be cut from a slab and battered into shape and weighed ~ I'd give the guy a stern look and he'd always throw in more ~ he got a smile as a reward and off I'd go.

I remember the English Market when they'd actually gut and wash your fish in the fountain ~ it was the only source of water and there was someone there constantly washing something ~ I know I'm giving some Health & Safety official a heart attack now, but everything got washed in there ~

wheresmybeaver

Gbee I think you'll find that things haven't changed too much in the English market; nearby businesses are still plagued by foul odours during the summer months, mostly offal run-off i believe. Not sure if its the councils responsibility or that of the individual retailer, but its still pretty bad. Great market for basic foods all the same.

ABajaninCork

I've done the survey for you too! Hope the thesis goes well for you and good luck!

leahyl

Hey just did the survey there! Best of luck with the thesis:)

Faith

Guys, the thread was started last year. Pretty sure they've done their thesis by now.

minidazzler

Faith wrote: »

Guys, the thread was started last year. Pretty sure they've done their thesis by now.

I was just about to do it, who really checks dates? Damn bumpers.

gimmick

Ugh. Just completed it.

Are we sure the OP is not someone who works in te market and is using this for free advertising?

I love the Market. Do not get there as often as I would like as neither of us work in town. My usual stops there are Iago for pizza base, ABC for a duck or a skull, the Chicken Inn for wings and vary it for red meat. Oh and Superfruit for fruit and veg.

leahyl

Haha! I did it too!!:D

Fox McCloud

There should be a warning flag with threads bumped from over a year ago damnit!