CRYSTAL PALACE FOOD MARKET NOMINATED FOR BEST IN BRITAIN!
Crystal Palace Food Market – formed less then two years ago – has made the final three of the BBC Food and Farming Awards ‘Best Food Market’.
In an email to supporters the food market have said a huge ‘Thank You’ to “everyone who voted for us, to our market team, our stallholders, all our volunteers, our Transition Town, all our customers and our amazing community here in Crystal Palace.”
The market – one of three finalists in the ‘best food market’ section – faces strong competition from Doncaster and Levenshulme
“We are delighted and amazed” said organisers Karen Jones and Laura Marchant-Short. “These awards are the ‘Oscars’ of food in this country, so it’s an massive honour.”
BBC Radio 4 sent a team to the market when judges farmer and market trader Peter Gott and chef Richard Corrigan, visited it on Saturday (14th March) before they visit the other two finalists.
The market was set up by Crystal Palace Transition Town volunteers in 2013, after a year’s planning, to support sustainable farms and local food producers. It now supports over 10 small farms, mainly in East Sussex and Kent, and has helped many budding local food businesses, including Brett and Bailey, Lovebites and Heaven Preserve Us.
Said Karen: “We try to ensure that everything is covered each week; you’ll find a good range of meat, freshly caught fish (with oyster bar), lots of fresh fruit and veg, raw dairy, a Grain Grocer, locally baked bread and cakes, gluten free, cured meats and ham, local beers, wines and a different hot food for lunch each week.
Laura added: “We also try to have a free children’s activity, gardening advice or cooking demonstration and there’s a great licensed cafe at Antenna Studios on site.”
The market also hosts an artist and makers collective stall called Handmade Palace, and Patchwork Farm, a stall that sells or swaps gluts from Transition Town community gardens, locals’ back gardens and nearby allotments, as well as live music at the Buskers’ Paradise spot. Community stalls are provided free of charge.
Crystal Palace Food Market can be found on Haynes Lane, off Westow Street, alongside the secondhand Haynes Lane Market, every Saturday from 10am-3pm.
www.crystalpalacefoodmarket.co.uk [email protected]
www.crystalpalacetransition.org.uk @CrystalPalaceTT
MEANWHILE IN FOREST HILL….Forest Hill’s popular ‘Food Assembly’ has been named finalist in the ‘Best Food Initiative’
With over 500 members in Forest Hill, The Food Assembly aims to change food culture in the UK by allowing people to buy directly off farmers and local foodmakers.
Every week Food Assembly customers in Forest Hill can order food online from their local Assembly before picking it up at a weekly popup market. All the food comes from within 100 miles of the area.
Each Assembly creates paid work for a local host. The Forest Hill Assembly is hosted by foodie-obsessed couple Audrey Bouttier and Vincent Spehner, who love to share their passion of food with others. They recently moved from France to London.
“We wanted to meet other locals and support local producers. We didn’t know how we could find easily the best food quality at a fair price, so the Food Assembly seemed to be the best solution”, says Audrey.
“We have lots of regular and supportive members. People are very interested in eating better and this shows us that we are doing something right”.
