Dare to be Different

The British are known for eccentricity, doing it ‘our’ way, not going with the flow and this is what I love about our culture. We can take being called eccentric as a compliment.

If I turned up at market and didn’t see a man striding down the gangway in an oversize Guinness hat or another wearing flowered Wellies and carrying a Prada style handbag I perhaps wouldn’t feel at home at all.

Being a little bit strange seems perfectly normal in our society. We see all life out in the open air and you do come to realise what eccentric means. There comes a time when you give up asking why and simply ask when the next one will be coming along. You know, the one with the snake wrapped around his neck, the parrot on the shoulder or the dog on the trolley. The pets are as eccentric as the humans.

Walk onto any market in the land and you will see replica stalls. I experienced this some time ago, many miles from here. Some are so similar I half expected to see recognisable faces appear from behind the bags, sweets or flowers. Only occasionally does anyone dare to be different. Supposedly there are only so many items that can be sold in the open air and this dictates what they will be.

It isn’t easy to step out of the ‘norm’ but it becomes increasingly necessary to find quirky ways to attract attention. If all the high streets look the same and there are clone stalls throughout the country, is it time to stand out and be counted? We can do eccentric if the mood takes us but would the ‘normal’ punters understand or desert.

An oriental flavour might be good, a stall selling edible bugs, it’s not unusual to yawn and swallow one anyway in the summer. Or maybe electric wheelchairs for dogs, it would save dragging that trolley about. A hat stall perhaps; selling oversize hats for those who feel a need to, well, wear oversize hats. Garishly printed clothing for those who don’t see a need to mix and match. Handbags with an outer pocket for small dogs. I could go on forever.

Maybe we are missing an opportunity to cater to the marginal sections of society. To run this along side the run of the mill items would indeed be a challenge. However many customers entrance us with their whacky ways, how many of us respond with whacky items to suit their needs? It does happen but the line was drawn at inflatable dollies and sheep some summers ago.

How to make people stop, stare and buy. If I ever find the answer I will bottle it and set up a whole new stall.

This could be the way forward for markets, daring to be different to attract a whole new world of punters.