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This picture is infuriating Sydneysiders, as a 30-year legacy could be brought toppling down, changing Saturday mornings forever.
Vendors at an iconic Sydney market have been left fuming over messages that they claim have made customers believe the weekly event has shut down.
Glebe Markets have taken place on Saturday mornings at Glebe Public School in Sydney’s inner city for years, but the famous event has now been hit by tough times.
The market’s former operators, David and Naomi McCumstie of Just Off-Broadway Pty Ltd, flagged last year that they were retiring but after they were unable to sell the business on, a new company took over the lease at the end of February.
Since then, the new owners, Organic Food Markets, as well as several stallholders, have accused the previous operators of creating confusion in relation to their messaging about the popular markets.
The previous owners have denied this and say they’re simply protecting their trademark.
For the last three Saturdays, the old operators have put out an Instagram statement reiterating that Glebe Markets is closed, making many think the attraction has shut down for good, and is not just under new management.
The issue lies in the fact that the former operators had trademarked “Glebe Markets” and as a result, the business has been listed on Google as being permanently closed.
The new owner has rebranded the event to Markets at Glebe.
During the handover, all the toilet paper for the toilet blocks was removed while it appears a pressure washer was used to erase important signage needed to tell stallholders where to set up their marquees.
Sales have dropped considerably with reports of just 10 per cent of the usual foot traffic while vendors that rely on the markets for their income are in dire straits.
Mr and Mrs McCumstie told news.com.au that they were simply protecting their trademark and business reputation. They also denied that they had anything to do with the pressure washer incident.
Vendors want the public to know the market is still open for business.
The markets are not in fact closed.
The new rebranded markets are still open. They have been renamed Markets at Glebe.
Stephen Choularton, the director of Organic Food Markets which is in charge of running the markets for the next 12 months, said the situation himself and the retailers have found themselves in is “unfair”.
“The markets are running every Saturday at Glebe Public School,” he told news.com.au. “This is where Glebe Markets were and you will find many, maybe most, of their regular traders still there.”
“We understand the shop owners are frustrated,” Mr Choularton continued.
“The footfall has reduced on Glebe Point Road and turnover is down.”
Mr and Mrs McCumstie doubled down on their stance to announce several times in the past month that Glebe Markets are shut down.
“We’re protecting our trademark,” they told news.com.au.
“It’s not our business to promote their business for them.
“I don’t want people turning up and going ‘oh, this is not Glebe Markets’, or saying ‘Glebe markets is lame’.”
They said their numerous social media posts claiming Glebe Markets is no longer operating – which happened as recently as last Friday – were “truthful and honest”.
“Glebe Markets is a brand, it’s not still going,” the couple added. “What is inside the grounds is not Glebe Markets. Glebe Markets is no longer in that location.”
They have turned off the feature to comment on their latest Instagram posts.
This is one of the Instagram posts Mr and Mrs McCumstie put out. No mention of the trademark.
The beginning of their explanation of the Glebe Markets trademark shutting down on their website.
The couple also admitted that they removed all the toilet paper on their final day running the markets.
“When we left we took our supply of toilet paper. We finished up as you would,” Mr McCumstie said.
“It didn’t belong to the school, part of that was our toilet roll hangers and toilet paper.”
They usually got through 70 toilet rolls on market day. The pair hired a truck to remove all their equipment, including toilet paper, and said there was only a “small amount” remaining.
“It wasn’t my job to say I’m going to leave you toilet paper, or here is the toilet rolls. They’re grown adults, they run multiple markets within the school grounds,” Mr McCumstie added.
The full explanation on the Glebe Markets website.
Steve Cushla and his wife have made a living from selling pottery at Glebe Markets for the past eight years. He is devastated by the way things have developed.
“It’s our life’s passion and it’s our income and our livelihood,” he told news.com.au.
“We had put all our eggs into one basket because Glebe was a fantastic vibrant market.”
However, sales are down drastically as Sydneysiders think the markets have closed.
Another stallholder, called Emily*, revealed that last year she made about $1000 every time she set up shop at Glebe Markets.
In comparison, last Saturday, she made just $30.
Emily was also shocked to learn that important markings numbering the corners of each of the spots for the stalls had been removed. It’s believed a pressure washer was used to get rid of the markings.
She said it was pandemonium as she had to move her store four times because she didn’t know where she was supposed to set up.
“No-one knew exactly where their stores were meant to be,” she explained.
The splotches on the ground used to have numbers and lettering denoting where stalls should go.
A pressure washer is believed to have removed the markings.
Then there’s Michael, the owner of Tipsy Wicks Candle Store, who has implored more people to come and visit the new markets as “we need all the help that we can get”.
“What they [the former operators] should say is the trademark for Glebe Markets is closed,” Michael told news.com.au.
His revenue is down 90 per cent since the market changed hands.
“It’s not because the markets are run incorrectly, it’s because people aren’t aware they’re open,” Michael continued.
“It’s left a sour taste in people’s mouth.”
Tipsy Wicks Candle Store has also been impacted by the dispute over the iconic market.
Steve Cushla relied on Glebe Markets for his full-time income.
Jenny*, who has worked at the markets for three years, says the reduction in customers is glaringly obvious.
Glebe Markets used to be the “most profitable” market setting for the company she works for but that’s changed completely.
“Our sales are so low it’s ridiculous,” she told news.com.au.
“We’re making less than half what we usually make. Some stall holders don’t sell anything all day and lose money because of it.”
During the first week the markets reopened, Jenny had to use tissues from her handbag when she needed to go to the bathroom during her 7.5 hour shift.
*Names withheld for privacy concerns
alex.turner-cohen@news.com.au
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