Glebe Markets: Balmain candidates Philippa Scott and Kobi Shetty fight against market’s closure

With Sydney’s treasured Glebe Markets set to shut its gates after 30 years, community leaders have joined forces in a desperate bid to keep the markets open.

The Glebe Markets has been a local institution for over three decades.

Sydney’s treasured Glebe Markets look set to survive despite dire warnings it may be shutting their gates for good.

In a Facebook post, Balmain MP Jamie Parker announced good news for the beloved markets and revealed the process of looking for a new operator had already begun.

“The good news is that the markets at Glebe Public School are not closing permanently,” Mr Parker wrote.

“The contract to run the markets at Glebe Public School is due to expire in March and this week the current operator announced that they will not be continuing to operate the markets for personal reasons.

“The Department of Education who owns the Glebe Public School site and awards the contract for the markets has already started … looking for a new operator.”

Politicians have rallied against the closure of The Glebe Markets. Picture: Craig Wilson

Councillor Kobi Shetty, who is running as the Greens candidate for Balmain vying to replace retiring MP Jamie Parker, spoke of the treasured role the markets play as a critical part of Glebe’s identity.

“They’re such an important meeting place for the community and bring in thousands of visitors to the local area every weekend,” Cr Shetty said.

Greens councillor Kobi Shetty.

Labor councillor Philippa Scott.

“The most critical thing now is to ensure that the tender process is as fast as possible to make sure that there is minimal disruption for both the stall holders who rely on the markets for income, and for the community.”

Inner West councillor Philippa Scott, who is running as the Labor candidate for Balmain at the upcoming election, spent Thursday at Glebe Public School rallying against the shock announcement of the market’s imminent closure.

“Today we launched our petition to Save Glebe Markets,” Cr Scott said. “As a voice for our community, I’m putting out an SOS — we urgently need a new operator to run them from next month.

“If we can’t find a new operator this month, we need to look at interim solutions to keep this Inner West icon alive past February.”

Having grown up in Sydney’s Inner West, Cr Scott also said she knows how important these markets are to the community.

“Like most locals, I’ve been going to these markets for decades,” she said.

“I know how important they are to the stallholders, the community, and the Glebe Public School P & C which receives all of the rental income.”

The Education Department made clear it was not shutting down the markets.

“Schools are at the centre of our communities,” a department spokesman said.

“The Education Department supports markets on school sites given they are community assets. The markets have been a mainstay at Glebe Public School for more than 30 years and play an important role in bringing the school and wider Glebe community together.

“The Department and the City of Sydney are working together to find an interim solution to keep the markets operating. Planning is underway to tender for an ongoing operator of the markets at Glebe Public School.”