The new rant of the traders of the Friday market of Béziers

Ils étaient une vingtaine de commerçants à crier leur colère ce vendredi sur la place du 14-Juillet. Midi Libre – Laurent François

Street traders want to leave the area around the Raoul-Barrière stadium. They are asking the City to return to the city center, where their peers selling food products have never moved.

They reached the Champ-de-Mars around 6:30 a.m. this Friday, April 26. There were around twenty of them and they sat in front of the entrance to the vast square, rue d’Alsace. To express their anger and their fed-up: the street traders of the traditional Friday market are asking to leave the area around the Raoul-Barrière stadium. They were moved there in 2020 by the City. They assure that the places are not suitable and above all, too far from the city center, where they would like to return. Why not, even, cohabit with the food traders who have left the Place David-d’Angers where they had been for ages, to join, precisely, the Champ-de-Mars. They ensure that there is enough room "to accommodate at least 60 additional traders."

"Drop in turnover from 60 to 80%"

According to them, the current locations are not suitable. Above all, they claim to have seen their turnover drop significantly since they joined the stadium: "One day, I only earned 10 €", bitterly says Benmahammed, who has been selling on the Béziers market for 24 years. "There's no one there anymore, added Tahroui who has been coming every Friday for 20 years. People no longer move around. It’s quite simple, from 11 a.m., most of us start packing up. When we were at the Champ-de-Mars, it was never before 4 p.m." Some traders are announcing a drop in their income from ;rsquo;order "from 60 to 80 %".

"It’is too far from the city center"

Alexandra, which offers bags and clothes on its stalls "quality, French and Italian", has not forgotten the vast place either: "When we were here, it was really something else, she assures. There was a pleasant atmosphere there. Above all, I had a clientele that I have never found since we were at the stadium. Of course, loyal customers come there. But there are not many of them anymore. It’s too far from the city center… Elderly people, especially, do not make the trip. My turnover has dropped by more than 60%." Not forgetting the lack of amenities: &quot ;There aren’t even toilets. Or they are too far away and since I'm alone, I can't leave my stand.

Get everyone to agree

On the side of the City, Robert Ménard – he had also said this in the municipal council – announces that he is listening to the demands of traders (read elsewhere). But for him, there won't be room for everyone. We will therefore have to make choices. The councilor is not convinced that the sellers will all agree on the subject. Ali affirms that it is possible: "We want to make this selection well. It also has to be clean. Traders who leave their place with dirt have no business being at the market. If necessary, we can also impose, for example, well-kept stands."

A sorting done by seniority, according to the domicile of each person, by the cleanliness of the stalls, by means of a random draw… The hardest part will be choosing the lucky ones. Knowing that those who left Béziers might want to return if the market returns to the city center. At most, it brought together more than 150 sellers. There are now 60 to 80.

Robert Ménard: “There are 38 places. When they agree on the selection criteria, we will”

Itinerant traders have been killed. received several times in town hall. "It’is true, but no solution has ever been foundé found", says one of them. For his part, Robert Ménard says he is staying at home. listening to sellers. But before discussing à new with them, he would like everyone to be on the same wavelength: "Everything has been going on. measured and there are 38 places available on the Place du 14-Juillet, assures the mayor. There is no problem à what non-food traders are returning to. But let them choose which 38 will be. The ball is in their court. I cannot show more good will. When they all agree on the selection criteria, we will do it. Knowing that their own union contacted us this Friday, April 26 to tell us that it was dissociating itself from them. I just want to have a contact representing everyone." Currently, at Place du 14-Juillet, there are 50 food traders. 95 are reported near the stadium.

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