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22.11.04
A Lib Dem councillor has filed a petition at the European Parliament
objecting to the archaic Royal Charter that prevents traders using Alexandra
Palace farmers' market on a Saturday.
Cllr Jonathan Bloch, who represents
Muswell Hill, says he has gone to Europe due to the virtual impossibility of
having the legislation withdrawn or amended due to time constraints in the
UK parliament.
The controversial Royal Charter, granted by James I in 1618, gave the right
for local notables to hold a market for the poor every Saturday in Enfield.
Lib Dems say that the clause that has created problems for local traders and
has remained in force for almost 400 years is the statement that no other
market or sale may be held within a radius of 6.66 miles of the Enfield
Market on a Saturday.
After an unsuccessful approach to the Government's Cabinet Office earlier in
the year, and with no help from Haringey's Labour-run Council to lobby
Parliament, Cllr Bloch believes that European Parliament is the only option
available.
He, along with local traders, feels that the Royal Charter is
contrary to EU competition law and as a result is a barrier to the
establishment of small businesses in the borough. Cllr Bloch is calling on
the European Parliament to ask the British Government to draw up a list of
Royal Charters that contain restrictive clauses, to determine whether they
served any beneficial social purpose and to remove those that do not.
Cllr Jonathan Bloch comments: "Local traders and my Lib Dem colleagues have
continued to press both Haringey Council and Government but to no avail. This is
an important issue for local small businesses and Haringey's economy.
"I hope that by taking this issue to the European Parliament we can secure
an end to this absurd piece of legislation."
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