“It's a scandal, we're letting it die”: traders at the Plan-Cabanes market in Montpellier are at their wit's end

A call for help for Thierry, William, Lakhdar and all the local traders. Midi Libre – T. J.

It is one of the historic markets in the city center and yet it is now only a shadow of its former self. In desperation, the stallholders are asking for help… and are considering issuing an ultimatum to the City during the next municipal commission meeting on September 23.

Lakhdar: “This year I didn't earn any money, I took the money out of my pocket, I took out loans. I'm heading for a 400% wall!"
– William : "We're heading straight for it!"
– Thierry : "And yet, they're workers, they're there six days a week."

In Plan-Cabanes this Friday, there are seven stalls: two greengrocers, two bazaars, a textile store, an Italian delicatessen, a caterer. These professionals are more than worried when faced with a finding: “Look around you, it's sad, there's no one!” Indeed, if cars are counted by the dropper on the boulevard, it is also the case for the market's customers. “They have closed three streets: Emile-Zola, Auguste-Comte, Saint-Louis, underlines Thierry, the representative of the market stallholders. No one arrives via the Arceaux anymore."

In no particular order, they discuss access, the price of the marquee, the deal, the competition…

This problem is not new, the result of the strategy of evicting cars wanted by the town hall, with a Gambetta car park that is more than difficult to access, Place Saint-Denis and Clemenceau condemned, not to mention the arrival via the Arceaux…
What these professionals are asking is that we take care of of them. “We need to improve our quality. For years, we have been asking for a butcher, a cheesemaker, a pork butcher…" Quality, the word comes up again and again. For the products sold. But also for the installations. “Our marquees are ten years old, they are dead, completely patched up, what an image it gives ? To change them we need more than 2000 €. Just changing the canvas is 500 bucks, a metal bar, 80 bucks. We don't have them, you have to help us.”

“Maximum 100 € here. At Mas Drevon, I make 600 €-700 €"

For them, it's obvious, the market is dying. Customers don't come anymore and they, all alone, don't have the means to attract them. Victor Hugo (his first name) leaves his textile stand and joins the conversation. “I am here all week. Except for Saturdays, I am at Mas Drevon. Here, I make 50-60 € per day. Maximum 100 €. At Mas Drevon, I make 600 €-700 €." Lakhdar continues: “I don't work. I make 100-150 € per day. In the neighborhood, on the other side of the street, there are other fruits and vegetables that come from Spain, they sell them off. I get my supplies at the Marché Gare. 100 euros, to pay for my location, my products, the diesel to go to the Marché Gare, I don't live.” They talk about the neighborhood, the deal, the boulevard Gambetta that customers have trouble crossing. Each on his own side of his street.

“There is a general abandonment of markets”

President of the Montpellier halls and markets union, Jean-Pierre Touchat, based on the Comédie, is even more severe. “What is happening at Plan-Cabanes is a scandal, it is being left to die. It is three hundred years old. There are traces of its existence at the end of the 1700s. The City does not want to open a vehicle access net to get there. But this is not specific to Plan-Cabanes. There is an abandonment of general markets: Plan-Cabanes, Paillade, Comédie, etc. We need a policy to stimulate markets, it is the oldest form of commerce in the world."

“I love it! I go there with pleasure, and maybe a little out of nostalgia”

Marion, a dynamic fifty-something, knows the Plan-Cabanes market by heart.

“I love it! Even though there are fewer people, and I see it fading away from year to year, I love it. My grandmother used to take me there when I was little, in the 1980s. There must have been twenty merchants. What happened? It was moved Place Salingro, it was difficult. People have retired too. And then the area is not necessarily bankable, it deals. I went to Les Arceaux or Castellane, it's different. The quality and the price. I go to Claire en primeur, she does quality, it's two or three times cheaper. And Les Arceaux, it's packed. At Plan K, they let you taste the fruit you buy. I go there all the time on weekends. I go there bike, I buy my chicken and he offers me a mint tea or a coffee and we chat. It's cool. I go there with pleasure. And maybe a little out of nostalgia. I raised my daughter there too. All the fruits and vegetables she tasted in her stroller, it was at Plan K.”

Everyone pushes in the same direction and turns towards the town hall. For Thierry, the cup is full. The representative of the Plan-Cabanes professionals is impatiently waiting for September 23, the day of the next meeting of their commission.

“I'm fed up”

For him, he has no choice: he will give an ultimatum at . I'm tired of repeating things 50,000 times. They made a gesture, we got two quarterly exemptions. But the parking lot was closed. We need to improve quality with traders who bring people in and we need more accessibility.” And otherwise ? The idea is raised of blocking the tram one morning at 8am but it doesn't meet with unanimous approval, they want to avoid a power struggle. But they are at their wit's end. “We can't even leave, our business doesn't cost anything anymore.”

“We're going to have to boost the offer”

According to Alban Zanchiello, deputy mayor in charge of trade, the city is looking for solutions and is listening to the Plan-Cabanes stallholders.

Are you letting the Plan-Cabanes market die or not??
No. I hold a meeting with all the markets every eight weeks. All subjects are on the table, without taboos. And my door is open.

They are calling for help. How can you help them?? They are hoping for new stalls (butchers, cheese makers, etc.).
Yes, a redefinition of the economic model with a new offer would be a good thing, and would attract people. Afterwards, I think that the proximity of the Arceaux market is also complicated, I was hoping that one would feed the other. We will have to boost the offer.

They also hope for easier car access…
The traffic plan is what it is, it won't change anymore. The market is on a square with a tram station. There has been a lot of work on access, it may have been disruptive but it's over now. No, I can't let it be said that we're leaving the market to abandonment.

The deal a few steps away is also a problem…
It's a constant struggle. We insist, çit takes time.

In desperation, the traders consider giving you an ultimatum…
Would that work in their favor ? My door is open. We need to talk. Now, I don't have the solution to everything but I'm doing my best.

I subscribe to read the rest