City resolves concern after farmers’ market set up negatively impacted a Brampton business

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Published July 3, 2020 at 6:30 pm

Last week, the farmers’ market in Brampton opened for the season and although it was an exciting time for many residents, a few small businesses felt differently.

Last week, the farmers’ market in Brampton opened for the season and although it was an exciting time for many residents, a few small businesses felt differently.

Every year, the City of Brampton blocks off Queen Street during the farmers’ market, but his year, due to COVID-19 protocols, the farmers’ market set up ended up blocking more than just the street.

According to a heartfelt Instagram post from Brampton-based business Macaronz, their store, along with Cristina’s Tortina Shop, Scented Lair and 9 Queen were negatively being affected by this year’s market set up.

“The City of Brampton has blocked off Queen Street during the farmers’ market, which for the past eight years that we have been at our location, has never been blocked off for this,” stated the post.

“Is this really another challenge on top of COVID that we have to endure? Can there be a better plan than this so our customers can get to all of us than just blocking off Queen Street for no good reason due to unthoughtful and possibly rushed planning?” 

The post concluded by stating, “The farmers’ market runs until the fall and Saturdays are our busiest days. This will certainly affect all of us when we have worked so hard to adjust to COVID and make things run as smoothly as we can for all of our customers.”

Mayor Patrick Brown took to Instagram to respond to the post.

“I am sure the City can make some adjustments. We only want to help downtown businesses, not hurt them,” said Brown in the comment section of the post, encouraging the owner of Macaronz to call him.

Today (July 3), Brown told Khaled Iwamura from inbrampton that they were able to “accommodate the concerns” that Macaronz had. 

“We had to spread it [the farmers’ market] out more because of COVID than it was in previous years,” said Brown.

“In previous years, she was near the start of the farmers’ market but not in the farmers’ market,” he said, adding that this year, the queue line would have been in front of her business. 

Brown concluded by stating that the farmers’ market will no longer be closed off in front of Macaronz.

Photo courtesy of Macaronz on Instagram  

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