Saturday 28 September 2013

Ulverston Market - you'll be surprised

Geoff had the time of his life doing something, at 2pm, he is very good at: selling stuff he believes in.

At this time, a stall holder handed over totally the running of his stall to Geoff and my did he have 'the time of his life' doing a brilliant job.

With a product he believed in totally and the ability to set the price wherever he chose , then the money started to pour in (about forty pounds in an hour) to everyone's benefit. Geoff's banter, his ability to wheel and deal worked to everyone's benefit. The Public got brilliant deals, the stall holder sold all his perishable stock, went home a very happy man and Geoff had a ball.

What worked in Geoff's favour , I wonder?

Could it be his integrity?

The fact that people new him and trusted him?

Were people persuaded by his banter?

All of the above, I suspect. Geoff of course has always enjoyed selling to the public from a market stall having done it successfully between 1983 and 1987 when he ran his own 'Health Food Stall' which grew and grew and was a regular feature of Ulverston Market, every Thursday and Saturday where he had the first pitch on entering New Market Street - where the key cutting van is now. Anyone remember it? What happened when he eventually closed it? Loads of bags of pulses, beans, dried fruit etc etc went to the Priory to feed hungry monks - for free! And Geoff moved to London to sell something else he greatly believed in:

Getting kids to think, in a deprived area of London - something called education.

Here he was labelled by the inspectors that new him as a genius not a term he believes in. He later became a much sought after 'Consultant' for the whole of the London area and even further afield. As might be expected he then ran a stall to show off his students abilities at the world famous annual BETT exhibition at Earl's Court. He was even consulted by the QCA's special Creativity Unit at Head office where he 'sold' his concepts on education which by then were creating quite a stir. Sadly the government underrated "Creativity" and the unit with all it's expertise morphed and disappeared.

Which Geoff are we talking about then?

Geoff Dellow of course. Know him?

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Could this be a regular market event?
The tight beggars hang about before buying and waiting for reduced priced labels in BOOTHS, its brilliant.

WASTE NOT WANT NOT.

Geoff Dellow said...

To Anon - Yes hoping so - it would be 14:00 onwards - see you there (I hope).

I'm hearing of several give-aways of bread etc at a Supermarket near you and "you wouldn't believe how much stuff gets thrown out because of the sellby date" - some poor buggers could benefit. People don't seem to realise - a stall holder with perishable stock is anxious to offload it before they go home especially on a Saturday. Rediculous bargains can be obtained with a bit of hard talking - lets see if I'm up to you lot if I take the stall holders job. I aim to make as much money for him as possible - otherwise I'm out of a 'job' - one I'd thoroughly enjoy!

All friendships go to the wall when one is enjoying oneself!Which means I'll be up to every trick in the book and some I may dream up. All tricks will be strickly above board - is that possible - here I am fantasising again. My stomach and clarinet call.