In Camden, plans are afoot to tidy up street trading. Although the Street Trading Strategy devotes only one short page to “miscellaneous sites” (the kiosks that are separate from markets), it is exacting in its criticism. The Strategy states “there are some sites where kiosks have become tired, unattractive and not in keeping with the area that they are in. They have advertising and sponsorship that doesn’t have full permission of the Council and the type of commodities which the trader sells has increased without the full knowledge of the Council. There have also been examples of traders over spilling the boundaries of their area and adding to the feeling of street clutter.” These concerns were echoed in a number of interviews with representatives from the Camden Council.
(In contrast to these perceptions, I hope my photos generally highlight the order of these places despite their ad hocness.)
One solution put forward to address these issues is the standardisation of kiosks. Currently, Camden owns the land on which the kiosks sit and the traders own their own structures. Standardisation would see Camden purchasing new kiosks for all 50 or so miscellaneous traders and owning both the kiosks and the land.
As far as the Council is concerned, this would have three main benefits: it would create visual and material coherency across the borough; it would allow the Council to control signage and advertising on the kiosks (which could generate some income in a division that currently operates at a loss); and it would clean up the “messiness” they associate with these sites. When asked how these three points are ranked, the latter was deemed most pressing. As such, the materiality of the kiosks is of greatest concern. And while there are ways to control the goods sold through licensing and the sprawl of kiosks through a demerit point system, the Council currently has no way to manage the perceived “tattiness” of these businesses.
Standardisation has been on the agenda for some time. In 2011 a design intensive – and controversial – kiosk was proposed with the help of Make Architects (see rendering below). Ultimately the project was shelved, not only because of the polarising design, but also because the Council recognised that management problems were paramount.
For some time, the Council has allowed miscellaneous sites to trade with limited enforcement or interference – in part because street trading in markets is more demanding of the Council’s energies. This has been of great benefit to miscellaneous traders who have long been able to make decisions which best suit their business. Despite this permissive history, the belt seems to be tightening.
A standardised kiosk is now back on the agenda, with the kiosk below presented as a possible design. Traders cite a number of issues with this model, including: the lack of canopy, which will have negative implications in inclement weather; the cramped quarters inside, which would challenge many traders with specialised equipment and those needing storage; and the limited space for display inside and out, which is especially an issue in the sale of larger items, fruit, and flowers.
With such a diversity of street trading, it will be challenging to find a “one size fits all” solution. Currently kiosks are purpose built in a vernacular fashion to suit both the trader and the goods they display. They have developed over time through minute tweaks and modifications, trial and error. After such a long period of self-management and self-fashioning, this proposed shift in aesthetic and material control is sure to cause a stir.
(In contrast to these perceptions, I hope my photos generally highlight the order of these places despite their ad hocness.)
One solution put forward to address these issues is the standardisation of kiosks. Currently, Camden owns the land on which the kiosks sit and the traders own their own structures. Standardisation would see Camden purchasing new kiosks for all 50 or so miscellaneous traders and owning both the kiosks and the land.
As far as the Council is concerned, this would have three main benefits: it would create visual and material coherency across the borough; it would allow the Council to control signage and advertising on the kiosks (which could generate some income in a division that currently operates at a loss); and it would clean up the “messiness” they associate with these sites. When asked how these three points are ranked, the latter was deemed most pressing. As such, the materiality of the kiosks is of greatest concern. And while there are ways to control the goods sold through licensing and the sprawl of kiosks through a demerit point system, the Council currently has no way to manage the perceived “tattiness” of these businesses.
Standardisation has been on the agenda for some time. In 2011 a design intensive – and controversial – kiosk was proposed with the help of Make Architects (see rendering below). Ultimately the project was shelved, not only because of the polarising design, but also because the Council recognised that management problems were paramount.
For some time, the Council has allowed miscellaneous sites to trade with limited enforcement or interference – in part because street trading in markets is more demanding of the Council’s energies. This has been of great benefit to miscellaneous traders who have long been able to make decisions which best suit their business. Despite this permissive history, the belt seems to be tightening.
A standardised kiosk is now back on the agenda, with the kiosk below presented as a possible design. Traders cite a number of issues with this model, including: the lack of canopy, which will have negative implications in inclement weather; the cramped quarters inside, which would challenge many traders with specialised equipment and those needing storage; and the limited space for display inside and out, which is especially an issue in the sale of larger items, fruit, and flowers.
With such a diversity of street trading, it will be challenging to find a “one size fits all” solution. Currently kiosks are purpose built in a vernacular fashion to suit both the trader and the goods they display. They have developed over time through minute tweaks and modifications, trial and error. After such a long period of self-management and self-fashioning, this proposed shift in aesthetic and material control is sure to cause a stir.
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