Comments on: The Fly-Pitchers Of Spitalfields

By: Margaret

Margaret — Fri, 27 Jul 2012 05:32:26 +0000

This story of shopping centres replacing traditional markets, then failing, seems to be horribly common throughout the UK. But the special situation of the fly-pitchers is something I didn’t know about till you drew attention to it in this moving post. Gina seems a special star in this story.

By: belle

belle — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 20:29:30 +0000

I am so touched by this article and set of images. I can only hope that some one with the legal knowledge does step forward. I feel from my own experience of growing up in London that this sort of pushing poorer people about started in the 1980’s, perhaps it has always been so.

By: Virginia

Virginia — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 18:33:21 +0000

We have the same problem here in the US along 125 street, for over a century the main shopping street in Harlem. Since the 80’s people much like your fly-pitchers have spread out their blankets to sell books, CD’s eseential oils, clothing, etc.
Along came gentrification and the young affluent white people, Harlem became “fashionable” and increasingly unaffordable. An out came the police to roust the street sellers.
And they wonder why there were occupy Wall Street protests!?

By: the gentle author

the gentle author — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 15:38:23 +0000

In reply to M. If someone with the requisite legal knowledge could to be there as an observer when the inspectors come to intimidate the fly-pitchers that would be a good start.

By: M

Thu, 26 Jul 2012 14:51:00 +0000

Can we start some sort of petition/demonstration?

By: aubrey

aubrey — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 12:15:48 +0000

I’m pleased to note that the container trader’s shops are struggling. I suppose it’s too much to hope that they will disappear and that the bric- a-brac sellers will return from the margins. Whenever I have passed by these container ’boutiques’ there doesn’t appear to be any customers in them. There seems to be more people on the stage than in the audience!

By: the gentle author

the gentle author — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 09:08:22 +0000

In reply to JerryW. In al others countries in Europe it is the right of every citizen to sell in the street, but here in the UK street traders are automatically criminalised unless they have licence.

By: Linda

Linda — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 09:08:11 +0000

How many of our politicians went into it to serve the community and then got sidetracked? How many could think like Gina? Do we think like Gina? The politics of economics sometimes doesn’t connect with the politics of moral responsibility. Happy, supported, cared for people = good economy.

Thanks for drawing attention to this.

By: JerryW

JerryW — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 08:55:13 +0000

This really makes my blood boil, because it is all so unnecessary. If only the Borough authorities could be persuaded to recognise and accept these peoples’ rights, as so many other, often less important rights are valued these days.
They make the market. Make the authorities listen!

By: Libby Hall

Libby Hall — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 07:19:39 +0000

Most beautifully and heart-breakingly described. I had no idea things had got so bad for the fly-pitchers.

Oh ugly corporate all-devouring ‘progress’. And oh, sometimes, what longing for the past.