The fruit and vegetable market will remain on campus after successful negotiations between the Students’ Union and the University of Sussex.
The university has agreed to allow the stall to be in the new location of Library Square for a month’s trial.
Last term, it appeared that the Tuesday market was going to lose its fruit and vegetable section, after the university said that the stall would have to be shut down whilst works are being done to Falmer House. Currently, the home of the Students’ Union is undergoing building work to repair the roof, to re-point the brickwork and to install new windows that are self-cleaning and double glazing in an effort to stop heat escaping from the windows.
The union also want to lower their energy costs and their ecological footprint.
As a result of these works, the Falmer House courtyard is now an unsuitable location for the market.
However the Students’ Union issued a statement on Tuesday 11 January announcing that, “following persuasion from sabbatical officers, [the University] has agreed to give the stall a month’s trial in the new location.”
Biz Bliss the Students’ Union’s Operations Officer said: “We are delighted with the university’s decision to let the fruit and veg market remain open.
“The weekly stall not only provides staff and students with quality fruit and veg, but creates a vibrant buzz, and adds to the sense of community here on campus.”
The initial hesitance of the university to allow the fruit and vegetable market to relocate to library square appears to have stemmed from a concern over the feasibility of a large delivery lorry accessing the market, as well as a concern over the arrangements to clear rubbish.
One final year student commented: “I’m thrilled! I love the market and it’s so handy and the products are much better quality than in your average supermarket.
“My sister who lives in halls of the University of Brighton, Falmer campus benefits from this as well as it’s much closer than going to Sainsbury’s.
“It’s also in the students’ best interest and the university’s fair-trade reputation for the fruit and veg market to stay open, so why get rid of something so good?
“I really hope that the fruit and veg market stays on campus after the trial period.”
The university had offered the fruit and vegetable section to relocate to Lancaster House, but the vendors did not consider this commercially viable due to the low numbers of people who pass through this location.
