Byron market unrest | News

Kate O'Neill | 8th January 2009

A RIFT is growing between stallholders and management of the Byron Bay Community Market over promotion of the monthly event.

Members of the Byron Bay Community Market Association say management spending on advertising is 'paltry' and stallholders are suffering due to poor turnouts.

Association member Nick Buckley said the Byron Bay Community Association, which manages the market, earned more than $160,000 from stallholders annually, yet spent next to nothing on marketing.

“The market is a cash cow. It generates income for them regardless, and complacency has crept in,” he said.

He said the much-smaller Ballina market had a television advertisement, while the Byron market got by with free community service announcements.

In frustration, he and other stallholders have set up their own promotional website.

Market manager Barbara Keen yesterday acknowledged that more could be done to promote the market, and said new strategies, including a television advertisement, were being considered.

However, Mr Buckley's comments represented 'a very small minority' of stallholders, she said.

She said the number of people going to the market had been at record levels during recent weeks.

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