Traditional Food Markets in changing process and uncertain future

Finally, there are the markets that have not experienced the change so radically and are in a clear process of transformation. So these are more traditional markets but with signs of initiating change, either by incorporation of spaces / cultural designs like La Cebada; by new stalls according to tourist tastes like Los

136

Mostenses by reorganizing or investment by private agents (Tribal);

comprehensive renovation and modernization as Barceló or Sant Antoni, etc.

These markets are characterized by maintaining their traditional character, offering quality products, providing local residents and neighbors. Remodeling and modernization basically aim to update the facilities, according to tourism strategic plans, related to ordering, enhancement and promotion of historic urban centers. But their use and service for the community remains. The immediate future will define their career on the line of tourism or not. In the case of Madrid, Barceló and San Antón markets have been demolished and later rebuilt.

La Barceloneta (in Barcelona) Mostenses and La Cebada (both in Madrid) have been rehabilitated with little investment. Sant Antoni in Barcelona is currently being remodeled.

Anton Martin market is one of the traditional ones in Madrid. It has a dance school at the top, and the market supply is distributed between traditional stalls of meat, vegetables, fish, etc. alongside some innovators like Japanese food, organic food, etc. The schedule is slightly expanded (from 9-21 hours) and does not open on weekends except of Saturday mornings. It organizes weekly activities such as craft fairs, handmade products, etc. The audience is a mix between traditional middle classes and new sectors as tourists. So we can find some advertisements in English. This is a market that is located in the center and has the potential of touristification but keeps its traditional public yet.

Barceló market in Madrid was officially opened in June-September 2014. It has a sports area, and a terrace. Its composition is in line with traditional food markets. Mostenses is a market characterized by the mix: exotic, international and cosmopolitan air. There is various stalls lead by immigrants of different countries of the downtown area of the city. It is an affordable and popular market with exotic restaurants at low prices. It is planned remodeling by Triball¹.

La Cebada market is currently in a critical situation and has many empty stalls.

In 2009 its demolition was ordered but only one part was demolished. In this market the neighbors have taken up the reins from 2011 and constituted as a meeting and activities space (parties, urban garden, sports area, etc.) and lead a strong anti-speculative movement and defense the identity and the traditional market.

In the case of Barcelona, two examples of this category of traditional markets are highlighted in the nearby of Ciutat Vella: Barceloneta and Sant Antoni.

Barceloneta is located in a tourist enclave because of the proximity to the beach.

1Triball is a business association of merchants that has emerged in the neighbourhood, establish good relationships with the municipality and invest in property in the neighbourhood. Even the neighbourhood is naming Triball.

137

Founded in 1884 and experienced the last structural reform in 2007. It has solar panels that provide it electricity and a large numbers of fish stalls, and also a medium-sized supermarket and several upscale restaurants included in the Michelin guide. Its website says its functional character and willingness to provide maximum information to their local customers, especially on sustainability.

Sant Antoni is currently being comprehensively refurbished respecting modernist building housing (reopening is planned in 2016, now occupying a temporary structure). A remodeling that will have four underground floors where a medium sized shopping center with international brands, car park, storage area and loading and unloading for traders. The rehabilitation works have found remains of the old medieval city wall and bastion of San Antonio, which will integrate into the market, as a cultural attraction. The offer of traditional market maintains the stalls of meat, vegetables, fish, etc. along with some innovative food and fruit juices, organic food, etc. The schedule is slightly expanded (from 7:30 to 14:30 and 17 to 20: 30h) and does not open on weekends except of Saturday mornings. They have a website, in Catalan, Spanish and English providing basic information about its three areas: food, cloth and others. The audience is a mix between traditional classes and new sectors seeking local quality products and occasional tourists. They appear as the market is located into the new leisure night city area (Parlament / Poble Sec axis).

Conclusions

Tourism is opening new doors for the development of urban centers and particularly for urban food markets that have experienced the crisis of urban commerce in a framework in which new trends of third generation tourists demonstrate increased interest in this type of urban facility.

Specifically, touristification of urban centers as an attempt to revitalize the city relies on this type of equipment to open doors to new functions. Thus we can find markets evolve towards different future from their traditional use in order to supply the resident population to use them as a pure tourist attraction. The market version that has an intermediate position eases maintenance and success (community and tourism).

In this sense, we contrast the touristified markets as San Antón, San Miguel or La Princesa clearly aimed at tourists and local middle and upper classes public with a strong impact over the functional area with sustainable markets such as La Boqueria, Santa Caterina, and San Fernando which are markets that combine ancient customs and renewing and arranging them with the tourist demand which allows a great coexistence according to the current city way of act and its residents. Eventually, there are a set of markets that are looking for their horizon

138

or output. Some of them will enter into a final crisis or in other cases will be sustainable in an original and particular output or may be touristified. Time will tell. This is the case of the Sant Antoni and La Barceloneta Markets (both in Barcelona), Anton Martin, Mostenses, La Cebada (all of them in Madrid).

However, the question that arises is whether these sustainable markets will remain in that stage of equilibrium or whether they will move towards touristification, considering the attraction of middle and upper classes, and the tourism demand that would allow them to survive. The action of public administration is the key in their future and should be referred to their projects.

Cities could focus on conservation / remodeling traditional food markets without neglecting to capture the attention of tourists. This type of market that is geared to tourism but does not forget their origins, their service to lifetime local residents, will allow cities to innovate in their tourism resources and maintain their position in the tourism market, without leaving their duty to the local community. Its sustainable mix is the key to the city for the case of Barcelona brand, and also to Madrid. To not bet on them is to close the door to the (only) economic activity that is not in crisis, but on the contrary, is reviving the economy.

Bibliography

Amin, A. & Thrift, N. 2007. “Cultural-economy and cities’.Progress in Human Geography, vol. 31, nº 2, p. 143-161.

Andersson, M. & Ekman, P. 2009. “Ambassador Network and Place Branding’, Journal of Place Management and Development’, 2, pp. 41-51.

Ávila, R. y Barrado, D. 2005. Nuevas tendencias en el desarrollo de destinos turísticos:

marcos conceptuales y operativos para su planificación y gestión. Cuadernos de Economía, 15, pp. 27-43.

Barrado, Diego A. 2010. “Gran ciudad y turismo en la transición post-industrial: nuevos y viejos procesos, nuevas y viejas teorías. El ejemplo del Área Metropolitana de Madrid’, Scripta Nova Revista Electrónica de Geografía y Ciencias Sociales, Vol. XIV, núm. 317, Bauman, Z. 2003. Modernidad líquida. Buenos Aires. Editorial Fondo de Cultura pp.

Económica.

Bramwell, B. & Rawding, L. 1996.“Tourism Marketing Images of Industrial Cities’. Annals of Tourism Research, Vol. 23, Nr. 1, pp. 201-221.

Capel, H. 2007. “El debate sobre la construcción de la ciudad y el llamado “modelo

Barcelona’. Scripta Nova. Revista Electrónica de Geografía y Ciencias Sociales. Vol. XI, núm. 233

Casares Ripol, J. 2003. “Los mercados municipales y el futuro de las ciudades’. Distribución y Consumo, Mayo-Junio, pp. 34-37.

Crespi-Vallbona, M.; Domínguez-Pérez, M. 2013. Estrategias urbanas en los espacios turísticos. Los casos de Madrid y Barcelona. ROTUR. Revista de Ocio y Turismo. Nº 6, pp. 13-33

Delgado, M. 2007. La ciudad mentirosa. Fraude y miseria del modelo Barcelona. Madrid, Catarata Libros.

139

Fainstein, S. 2005. “Cities and diversity. Should we want it? Can we plan for it?’.Urban Affairs Review, vol. 41, nº 1, pp. 3-19.

Hannigan, J. 1998. Fantasy City: Pleasure and Profit in the Postmodern Metropolis.

Londres, Routledge.

Harvey, D. 2001. Spaces of Capital. Towards a Critical Geography, Nueva York, Routledge.

Kavaratzis, M. 2004. “From City Marketing to City Branding: Towards a Theoretical Framework for Developing City Brands’, Place Branding, 1, pp. 58-73.

Keller, P. 2005. “A new Symbiotic Relationship between Culture, Leisure and Tourism in the Urban environment’, World Tourism Organization Seminar Proceedings “The Future of City Tourism in Europe’, Coimbra (Portugal), May.

Lloyd, R. & Nichols, T. 2010. “The City as an Entertainment Machine’.Annual Meeting of the American Sociological Association. Chicago, University of Chicago,

Maitland, R. 2008. “Conviviality and everyday life: the appeal of new areas of London for visitors’. International Journal of Tourism Research, Vol. 10, nº 1, p. 15-25.

Meethan, K. 2001. Tourism in Global Society: Place, Culture, Consumption.Basingstoke, Palgrave.

Muñoz, F. 2008. Urbanalización. Paisajes comunes. Lugares globales. Barcelona, Ed.

Gustavo Gili.

Prats, L. (1997), Antropología y Patrimonio. Madrid, Ariel

Quaglieri, A. & Russo, A. P. 2010. “Paisajes urbanos en la época post-turística. Propuesta de un marco analítico’, Scripta Nova. Revista Electrónica de Geografía y Ciencias Sociales. XIV, nr. 323.

Richards, Greg (ed.) 2007. Cultural Tourism: Global and Local Perspectives. Haworth Hospitality Press, Binghamton.

Richards, G., Wilson, J. 2007. “Tourism development trajectories. From culture to creativity?

In Richards, G. Wilson, J. Tourism, Creativity and Development, Londres, Routledge.

Sheller, M. & Urry, J. 2006. “The new mobilities paradigm’. Environment and Planning, Vol.

38, Nº2, pp. 207-226.

Taylor, J. 2001. “Authenticity and sincerity in tourism’. Annals of Tourism Research, 28, pp.

7-26.

Urry, J. 2008. “La globalización de la mirada del turista’. Barcelona Metrópolis, Vol. 72, pp 49-57

Van den Berg, L. & Braun E. 1999. Urban Competitiveness, Marketing and the Need for Organizing Capacity. Urban Studies, Vol. 36, Nº 5-6, pp 987-999

Zukin, S. 1995. The Cultures of Cities, London, Blackwell.

140