Requests to install posts in the Comunitat markets have soared, and with them the waiting list since, in most cases until there are no vacancies or removals of user input is not given to new applicants.

Stakeholders are both unemployed as traders closed their business or looking to sell on the street sales a plus.

"You need some money to come to one market", says the president of the Union of Street Vendors of Castellon, Juan Jarque, as an explanation to the 'boom' requests. And the paperwork is minimal. Enough, he says, sign up for Social Security as self and be aware of the Tax on Economic Activities. Some councils, which control almost all the street markets also require registration for street traders registration or liability insurance. However, one of the main benefits to be derived traders is to avoid the maintenance and rent, if any, of a fixed place.

One of the most striking cases is that of Valencia. On Monday is the deadline for applying for licenses, which since 2002 had not been summoned. The Department of Markets in the Valencia City Council has received 500 applications, 200 more than in 2002. This despite the fact that only 32 positions were offered as they became vacant. The census of vendors reaches 800.

The interest in obtaining a seat is such that, in municipalities such as Torrent, which installs on its streets two-markets on Fridays and Saturdays, the technician in charge of Market area receives one call a day from people interested in street vending. It is, as explained municipal sources, people who have never engaged in this work and who choose it as a way out of a difficult economic situation.

"People choose what seems easier," added the president of the Castellón vendors, which manages three markets in the province of those who depend 800. It is the only private institution in Spain managing flea markets. The vast majority of markets are administered by the municipalities, which means, according to Jarque, more than 8,100 stalls daily. "If each be expanded by 10 seats, 80,000 people would be talking about more work," he adds, pointing to the Administration as it truly can respond to demand.

Job Search

"People are trying everything because it needs work. This is a state problem ", says the president of the Castellón vendors. There are 'overbooking' of demand. And to show, gives a button. If the association has a hundred members at this time requests triple that figure.

In Burjassot have also detected a surge in applications, which they said municipal sources, may not be met. In the street market on Wednesdays which is mounted around the Consistory of Burjassot there are a hundred permanent positions, which adds about thirty stops falling within a 'failure'. This means that if one day comes the responsibility of the position, his standing among those lots are drawn to make the list, which are noted around thirty people.

However, the sources explained, there is already a pool of 80 people who want thickened difficult task because "usually there are not many available on the market", pointing. Burjassot, also has outstanding municipal market reform, which will increase their seats from 20 to 22.

In most cases there are striking Castellón. Over 200 people are on waiting lists in Vila-real to obtain the municipal license that allows them to sell on the street. I do not have anything easy since there are hardly 30 people. In Wave, the situation is similar. There are 168 seats in market stalls and a waiting list of 58 people.

And is that something that was relatively easy in some municipalities, especially small, is now an almost impossible mission. Are hardly low in those with active licenses.

Each municipality has its own rules regulating the municipal markets and street vendors. In Torrent, for example, vendors with a peddler must pay a fee of € 1.27 per meter per day since the occupation. Between the two markets operate 420 posts. In other cases, such Gandia (with 366 seats spread over three markets), the rates range between 1.20 euros and 2.40 euros per meter per day.

There are other locations, as Quart de Poblet or Gandia, where they say they have not encountered a special volume of requests for other years.

Why have so many hopes on the mobile markets? First, unemployed workers are thus an opportunity to work on their own, as companies have virtually closed the tap on recruitment. Secondly, the economic hardship has led many people to seek opportunities in the markets. "People are constantly coming to market because it compensates for price," says John Jarque. However, it recognizes that not all the stalls sell the same. The only people who have grown in sales volume are the stops that shipped fruit and vegetables. "Every day you can find fresh goods at half price in supermarkets", says Jarque and compelling reason.

Format Changes

The small format change peddler trade is not a trend that, at present, worries the heads of major associations representing traders Valencia, as pointed from CECOVAL (Employers Confederation of Trade Valenciano) Covac (Valencia Confederation of Commerce) and FEVALCO (Valencian Federation of Local Associations of Traders). From that institution, its president, Eugenio Soler, said that it is common, especially in small towns, the local traders who close their gender reselling the stock to owners of stalls.

Retailers are against transfers occurring from one format to another, provided they secure the balance. "The whole business is now very worried," acknowledged Elizabeth Cosme, president of CECOVAL. He says, especially for the price war policy. In his view, lower prices is the worst option, since it raises money with no benefits. "You can not maintain a business down," he adds.

Cosme also makes a call to consumers. The consequences, he notes, will be lived comeback after the crisis, when some users want to return to the business district with quality product, direct and closer, and have gone away.

Las Provincias 23.11.09