Columbia Road Flower Market

 

Columbia Road Market

VO
Vibrant, colorful and sexy. Flowers, plants and green fingers have never been more popular. TV Garden Makeovers and celebrity gardeners have insured that a great British past time has become a massive money spinning phenomenon. For London's clued up flower lovers, Columbia Road Flower Market is worth getting out of bed for. But what exactly is it that lures fans of all things flora to a narrow terrace street in the East End every Sunday morning?

IV
I think it's because, like, such a variety of stuff, and you can come down here, and you can buy, all your stuff is cheap, garden plants, indoor plants, house plants. You can't go anywhere in the country and buy it as cheap as you can down here, because it's all like wholesale prices.

VOX
I come to the market three or four times a year, it's good fun, great value. Good selection of plants.

VOX
Well, it's cheap and cheerful. You get whatever plants you want at good prices. It's just much cheaper than garden centers.

IV
Sometimes we got a bit of quality and we ask good money for it, because it's still cheaper than anywhere else, but mainly we do pile it high and sell it cheap.

VOX
Four pots of five for half price, eight in a tray for eight quid.

VOX
Pellegoniums, two pounds each.

IV
I think people like the atmosphere, it's like a tourist attraction. Half the people are here to buy plants and half are here to see what's going on.

VOX
There's no other place like this in London, really, it's quite unique.

IV
It's the only place you can go to in the whole country where there's one street just selling plants and flowers.

VOX
You've got all the nice atmosphere, you've got the coffee shops, and it's quite a nice place to come on a sunny day as well. It's such a hive of activity as well.

IV
There is a psychology of selling - you can more or less excite the customer into buying something, usually by some smart remark, a happy remark, something to give them a bit of humor.

VOX
You know these ones are full of vitamin C. Take one regular every morning, and you perk up.

IV
My selling technique is, be louder than anyone else, so everybody knows I'm here, I think. And I think I am.

VOX
All that lovely new ginny binny lizzie for a tenner, now, anyone else? Three for a fiver, all your lovely rain daisies here today, anyone else? Three for a fiver!

IV
Oh, I get people from all over. You can tell by the accent sometimes, I actually ask them where they're from because they've got a strange accent.

VOX
I come all the way from Kent because the flowers are very good quality and they are reasonably priced. And it's enjoyable to see everybody out here.