The film focuses on the markets in Doncaster and the traders who sell there. It explores the difficulties nowadays surrounding the sector including competition and accessibility issues. However, the outlook of most is positive for its future and the survival of it due to the community and personability that the market offers opposed to the supermarkets.  The film opens on a trader bartering the price of his fruit and veg stall.  Title: 3 for a £1 [camera pans across an empty car park as...

The film focuses on the markets in Doncaster and the traders who sell there. It explores the difficulties nowadays surrounding the sector including competition and accessibility issues. However, the outlook of most is positive for its future and the survival of it due to the community and personability that the market offers opposed to the supermarkets.  The film opens on a trader bartering the price of his fruit and veg stall.  Title: 3 for a £1 [camera pans across an empty car park as background]  The film cuts to the empty stalls and unloading of lorries at the start of market day. A man narrates over these images about his working hours and the different places people come in from to the market.  There is an interview of a couple who discuss how markets have more to offer. It then shows shots of Doncaster streets and the products to be sold on the stalls.  Another voice narrates how busy market day gets, and the fish which is sold. [clips of fish being filleted and sold play]  A couple who work a fishmonger stall are then interviewed. They state how they have had the same stall even with a reshuffle of the market, and that the market will soon be bustling, as well as their typical day and where they get their fish from, alongside clips of said fish. The woman explains how much cheaper it is compared with a supermarket and the greater choice available. The film then shows clips of all the empty fish stalls and fades into the footage of them when the markets are busy.  The footage cuts to a butcher handing out cuts of meat. He discusses how long he has worked there and personability and skills required. The types of meat sold is discussed along with footage of them. He explains the better quality and value for money available at the market due to them knowing the suppliers. Some of his regular customers are shown. Other traders yelling about their prices are filmed, before cutting to another interviewed stall. The new stall sells cheese and other foreign cuisine. The woman dispels the myth that the markets do not sell quality products as they use the same suppliers as Fortum and Masons. She goes on to discuss the familial element between the stalls and the decline in how much traffic passes through the market now.  Footage of the different stalls and products is included:  sweet stalls, cafes, fish, rabbits etc. A trader is interviewed in which she discusses selling tripe to people and how difficult it is to get fresh tripe in the supermarkets.  The film moves to the car park and interviews a woman who explains how the payment for parking is spoiling the market.  Simon Taylor introduces himself as a 17 years veteran fruit and veg trader. [set in front of his stall] He lists off the fruit he sells and disregards the supermarket ability to match him. However, he also discusses the competition with the supermarkets. Simon addresses the pedestrianisation of centre being good for the stalls but the position of the car park and plans to move the bus stops an issue. He explains his hopes for the future of the market but expresses the need for support from the council and people of Doncaster.  The film then includes footage of the café inside the market, and people eating other food sold at the market. Street sign: ‘Market Place formerly Goose. Hill’ Terry value is then introduced who expresses his experience in the market and how to be successful on the markets. [footage of the products he sells] He also discusses the history of the markets and the development of the lock up, as well as his customer demographic and how this has changed over time. He states that there has been a decline in the number of people using the market and explains his belief that it will continue unless how it is operated is changed.  A seller of menswear is interviewed next, he infers how difficult it is to keep up with the changing styles but expresses the fairness of rent price Doncaster market offers. The film then interviews a woman sat her stall discussing the decline in custom over the last 3 years particularly and lack of money being spent at the markets. [footage of women trying on hats] ‘Nancy’s fabrics’ stall and the owners of the stall are introduced next alongside footage of their stall transactions. They discuss their history of being on the markets and the value for money they provide. Their customer base is touched on as well as the opinion that the market being the best in the North before the discussion moves to retirement. The final interview conducted is with a florist at his stall outside. He talks about his suppliers and the different products he sells. Closing clips of the traders packing away their stalls. Black screen Speech played overtop credits [worst thing is setting up and packing up, less people so finding it more difficult, harder, solution is getting up earlier, working harder. Parking worst bit, more shops no need for trip] Fabric people say goodbye and the film fades out. Credits:   Music:  The Angel Brothers and Satnam Singh Production Assistant:  Judith John-Lewis Sound:  Andy Smith, Rob Grant  Camera:  George Fretwell Director:  Chris Batstone Thanks to; The Stall Holders,The Market Traders, The Market Traders Association for their help in the making of this film. Production Facilities:  Fern Creative Media A Film by Darts As part of Yorkshire Media Consortium  Archived by Yorkshire Film Archive Supported by The Arts Council of England