to not understand the snobbery about old-fashioned markets?

[StuckInTheMiddleWithYou]

I'm not talking about organic farmers markets or antique markets or anything like that, but the old fashioned kind. The sort you often find in under purpose built roofs in old cities, like Stockport, Norwich, Leeds, London and Newcastle.

We were talking about food shopping at work (dull I know) and I mentioned that most of my meat, fruit & veg, bread and few other things comes from a market. I go there because its far cheaper than any supermarket and the quality is as good if not better sometimes.

However, people at work were horrified. They're were mostly convinced that I was setting myself up for food poisoning and that markets were "dirty".

Is this a common view? I'm amazed.

I understand that supermarkets are often the only choice in some areas and very convienent particularly if you're in a hurry or have kids in tow, but surely they are the only reasons people shop there? Aren't they?

They are weird, you are right.

The only reason I don't go to 'old fashioned' markets is there isn't one near me.

We do have posh markets round here but I don't want to spend £72,000 on some homemade lavendar soap and a lump of parmesan thank you very much.

No. I don't think it is a common view. I get fruit and veg from the market in the high street. I think the people at your work are odd.

Clothes etc are a different matter. Years ago clothes from the market were quite good. Now it is all nylon and polyester shit

Agree with both the above posters. I buy our veg and fruit from the local market, I don't buy the meat though. It smells too bloody. It would make sense, I could buy two chops, two chicken breasts etc without having to freeze half. OTOH, if I go to Tesco or Asda, I can buy cruelty free meat.

I love going to our Market. If it was really that shit then it wouldn't have survived since 1244.

Goodness, I thought from the title, it would be the other way round. People here are terribly, smugly pleased with themselves if they shop at a market.

Glad it's not me!

The crazy thing is, the issue that most concerned them is the fact that you can see the butchers preparing the meat. I like that myself. It's an honesty you just do not get in a supermarket.

When I lived near a market I used to buy fruit and veg, household stuff, but not meat or fish, I admit. But that's mostly because I used to work in food service and am uptight about food hygiene. I didn't buy fish from our local Tesco either.

I love a trip round Leeds market. I heard a rumour it is going to close down though My wedding flowers were done by a market stall florist and were amazing. The fruit and veg is normally much better quality than tesco etc.

That's a shame Dreaming, I've worked in both a traditional butchers and a supermarket. I'd trust the butchers!

I think people just like their meat and fish shrink-wrapped and devoid of any animal overtones. I can sort of understand that.

I didn't think there was any snobbery. I live in a market town and we often get our fruit and veg from there. They do go mad every so often and have artisan bread stalls etc but mainly it's a bog standard affair. Never think much of it one way or the other, except I always feel that by choosing a variety of fruit and veg from the '£1 a bowl' range, I'm getting quite a good deal :)

DH and I were talking about this the other day as some of his colleagues had been taking the mick out of him as we shop mostly from our local market.
We get all of our fruit, veg, meat, eggs, bread, cooked meats & dairy from our market. I do however have one big shop every 4-6 weeks delivered from Tesco for tinned and some dried goods as the weigh store that was on the market for cereal and dried goods has closed down. It is this that enables us to keep our shopping budget of about £30-£40 pw for the 4 of us including our two dogs.

Do some people actually think the markets are dirty? We have never had a problem r.e food poisoning etc.

My mothers family had a fruit and veg stall on both of the local markets that we have here and my nana's family still run it now as it was passed on to my nana's brother. I grew up on the markets in the summer when all the family chipped in and helped. I loved it. I get a bit sad now when I go to the main one here and see how many stalls have left and how it is not at all busy

I'm going to be flamed here (dons suit) but I think this kind of snobbery is very often a working class thing. I would like to add that I do consider myself to be very working class.

It maybe a case of "my nana shopped in the market, but I'm going to do better and go to Tesco..."

Oh no, it's not a squeamish thing for me. It's just this particular market, I didn't find the meat stalls in very good shape. I would rather go to a proper butcher, but I just think it's interesting that people assume if it's in a market it must be better. Not always!

Not it's not always better. There are a couple of stalls I avoid like the plague! But the majority are great.

Not snobbery for me either. I just can't tolerate the smell

No, it is normally the other way round in my experience.

No - I don't think it's a common view at all -I don't only because I don't have time and there isn't one that near...looking forward to working PT when DC1 arrives so maybe I can go :)

I shop in the market when I can, especially for Sunday roast, I find the supermarket meat is far too lean and frankly a bit tasteless. I ask the butcher for a joint with plenty of fat on it as this gives it flavour and keeps it nice and moist while cooking. I've never had food poisoning in my life and neither has any of my family.

I'm also from a town with a covered market. Trouble is that there are good and bad markets & good and bad stallholders. Bad markets can be very scruffy and don't fill you with confidence. There's one at Upton Park near the tube station which is absolutely disgusting. But if you've got a good market and some reliable stallholders they're great.

I used to buy the best bacon ever in our covered market, and when I was a child the best butchers was in the market, wish I was working nearer ours so I could go there now, its out of my way and I am too lazy busy to go unless going into town anyway. sadly supermarkets are easier but no where near as good. note to self to make a bloody effort to shop better.

Markets are great I love them but use my common sense. I use regular traders in covered in markets, if I don't know the market I look for the biggest queue, that's usually a give away that others know it to be good for veg or whatever.

I never buy from open air markets things like sweets cakes etc when they're not totally covered, have seen too many of those stalls covered with wasps. Revolting.

Meat and fish I get from the regulars when I get off my butt to go there.

Back to open air again.

I'd never buy from the big vans that sell meat by the slab for a tenner, as I just don't trust portable places that sell food. Again that's a bit hypocritical as I'll eat chips from mobile places or ice creams just not those fresh meat ones.

I love markets. Living where I do in London you can't get away from the things. Some of the stalls are dreadful but there are some great ones. You can get some great deals for fruit and veg, though I generally go to a little greengrocers for that.