A familiar face to traders, visitors and businesses alike, Tracy Francis has been part of the Love Wimbledon team since the BID began in 2012. Working closely with the team, she manages the much-loved Love Wimbledon Markets and helps bring activity to The Piazza throughout the year, including large-scale events such as Winterfest. As Market and Piazza Manager, she manages the much-loved Love Wimbledon Markets and helps bring activity to The Piazza throughout the year, including large-scale events such as Winterfest. Known for her longstanding relationships with traders and her passion for creating a welcoming atmosphere, Tracy is often joined by her Miniature Schnauzer, Baxter, who has become something of a market regular himself.
You manage the Monthly Markets, Christmas Market and have run the Sustainability and Arts Markets for Love Wimbledon, what are the key success stories?
We’ve had some lovely success stories from traders who started and built their businesses with us and went on to take shops, like Local Cheese Cave now on Quicks Road, Forty Acre Coffee in Tooting and Abbey Mills, Pup Up Jewellery who are now in Westfield, Portobello and Camden. Our longest standing trader, Luso Brazil are now expanding into Hartfield Walk. I especially love it when a trader’s first ever market experience is with us – they always hold fond memories and it’s nice to be part of someone else’s journey. The Arts Market used to generate new commissions for local artists, and I love that too. I love all of it!!
How do the markets and Piazza activity benefit Wimbledon Town Centre and businesses?
Wimbledon is a great and busy town centre, but when the market is in town (if I say so myself!) there is a lovely atmosphere that is created in an otherwise empty open space, so it has a high impact. The feedback I hear from the public when they’re at the market is all positive. I love overhearing local people talk about their love of the market. The businesses also benefit because it brings more people into the town centre so it’s a win-win for everyone – local artisans get the opportunity to trade, local people get the opportunity to shop and soak up the atmosphere and local businesses enjoy an increase in footfall. What’s not to love about our markets!
What are you looking for in trader applications when curating the markets? Do you have top tips for submissions?
It’s not just about the products they’re selling; it’s also about the price point, how they display their stall, the trader’s commitment to sustainability, and whether the product is a good fit for our market. They also can’t clash with anything that is already at the market. Tips to get in? Yes, I have a major tip – don’t send me 10 paragraphs of AI generated text, and then include the bot’s instructions to you!! Apart from it being too long, the bots tell you generically how to answer our question, which is completely fabricated and often not even relevant. The same goes for AI generated images – don’t send them! We want real-life applications from small businesses.
You have been involved with Love Wimbledon since the early days. What achievement are you most proud of?
I started as Town Centre Manager in 2004, when Winter Wonderland was a parade on a Thursday night, so my earliest proudest moments were that first parade, but then the first road closure we had in 2013 when Love Wimbledon came in, that was pretty magical. Creating an event on a high street and watching the children’s pure joy hugging giant Snowmen or snowboarding, watching Elsa on stage – all great memories. And watching the markets grow from my first one that had 11 stalls to the 27 we have now, and seeing the businesses evolve and grow their product lines. Above all that, they’re all such a great group of people that coming in at dawn to drive a van and set up is no hardship when your day is spent with them.
