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More markets good in QB

I am writing in response to the article regarding the QBDBA’s opposition to the Wednesday night farmers market.

I am writing this letter in response to the article in last Thursday’s paper regarding the Qualicum Beach Downtown Business Association’s opposition to the Qualicum Beach Farmers Market having a Wednesday night market.

First off I want to say that I thought it was quite inflammatory of the editor of the paper to continue the story on a subsequent page under the headline “Awkward and disrespectful.” Although those words were taken directly from a quote from Coun. Bill Luchtmeijer, I think it’s disrespectful of your paper to use those words in reference to our local farmers market.

Secondly, I am so tired of small business owners in this town constantly trying to guilt us into shopping local and trying to scare away any form of competition. If you want to succeed as a small business owner, you need to find a need and fill it, not make a wish and do it. Open a business that actually appeals to locals, and watch us flock to your store.

If you want people to come to the QBDBA Thursday Market, make it a great market. If you are worried that people will only come to one market a week, make your market better. Or maybe acknowledge that people may just come to both.

Lastly, I want to send a thumbs down to council for only allowing produce at the Wednesday market. I would understand a food-only restriction, based on your concerns, but making it produce only eliminates the whole idea of a ‘top-up’ market when people can’t get baked goods or any other food mid-week. How many produce-only vendors does the Saturday market even have?

C. VauseQualicum Beach