Don't let narrow rules straitjacket ideas for better markets  The first tottering steps to bring more life to Boston’s renovated Market Place and the rest of the town centre were discussed at a meeting of Boston Borough Council’s Regulatory and Appeals Committee yesterday.

The idea is to allow additional street trading not only in the Market Place but also Strait Bargate and the Wide Bargate loading bay area by W H Smith.
For almost a quarter of a century, trading in these areas has been prohibited – but the idea now is to remove that restriction and encourage small “themed” markets on days other than normal market days.
We’d like to be more precise, but a copy of the proposed area for street trading mentioned in the report has not been made available to the hoi polloi.
But examples of such markets would be craft markets, continental markets and community markets.
As with all such ideas, the road to hell is often paved with good intentions.
Whilst wanting to offer attractive events that will make life more entertaining for residents and also hopefully attract more visitors to Boston, a self imposed set of rules could straitjacket things from the outset.
To ensure the market charter is not breached, traders selling goods of a similar type to those sold on Wednesdays and Saturdays, and which could damage those markets, will not normally be allowed.
The report goes on to say that the council will want to see high standards in terms of the quality and presentation of goods sold.
“We would want to ensure that any new traders did not unnecessarily undermine the existing businesses; either those that come to Boston on Wednesdays and Saturdays as part of the Boston Market, or the more permanent businesses that surround the Market Place.
“New traders and stalls would be allowed on the basis that they bring wider choice; greater vibrancy and assist in making the town centre a more attractive place to visit and shop in.”
Superficially, these are fine words, but given the variety of goods sold by shops in the Market Place and in the twice weekly stall market, coming up with something new is going to be a very tough challenge indeed.
The report mentions community markets – but what little we can discover about them suggests that they are little more than extended farmers’ markets.
Our present farmers’ market is a pitiful affair,  - especially when you consider that it takes place in the heartland of the nation’s food growing area. For years it has included such things as ostrich meat, herbs,  venison and smoked sausage – with not a fresh vegetable in sight. Given the rules that exist to protect the chartered market, we wonder whether farmers are banned for selling such produce from their stalls.
Whatever the reason, the Boston Farmers’ Market needs to buck its ideas up and  live up to its name. Ironically, it does not appear on the national farmers’ market website – although one in rural Westminster does!
Continental markets? We have have something vaguely approaching one from time to time, but we’re not sure whether a “genuine” such market could be held on anything like a regular basis.
If we really want to be distinct and different, why not consider branching out a little more ambitiously?
How about a monthly book market? Or one for toys, antiques, or gardeners?
Although the report says that re-designating the whole of the Market Place and Strait Bargate plus the Wide Bargate loading bay would provide flexibility to allow trading across the whole area rather than limiting it to defined areas – there is one fly in the ointment that needs addressing.
Yes, you’ve guessed it – the Into Town bus service.
Would you want to run a stall in Strait Bargate with these noisy monsters passing every few minutes -  spraying you and your stock with exhaust fumes and drowing out your attempts to do business with their deafening alarms?
We have said it before, and we are not ashamed to repeat it …
There is no place for buses to run alongside pedestrians in Boston.
The refurbishment of the Market Place, and the sensible decision to expand attractions and services in the area cannot work hand in glove with buses.
They can – and must – be re-routed.

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