Stallholders left out of pocket from Bankstown’s failed Apple Jar Markets

STALLHOLDERS have been left angry and out of pocket after the organiser of the failed Apple Jar Night Markets has not refunded their site fees.

The Apple Jar markets were meant to be held at Bankstown paceway last December, but the event never went ahead and stallholders have been left out of pocket.

• New head for Punchbowl Boys High
• Would you pay $92,000 for a mattress?

STALLHOLDERS have been left angry and out of pocket after the organiser of the failed Apple Jar Night Markets has not refunded their site fees.

The Express can confirm at least five stallholders have lost up to $160 each after the markets, due to open at Bankstown City Paceway on December 9, fell through.

In an email to stallholders on November 26, market organiser Robert David said the event would need to be postponed until January.

Mr David said it was because he needed a development application approved to hold the event and a DA submitted by Bankstown Paceway to Canterbury-Bankstown Council could take “up to three months” to be approved, so he would need to find another site.

The council, however, has confirmed that neither Mr David, nor Bankstown Paceway, lodged a DA.

On November 30, Mr David’s last correspondence with his stallholders was another email that said the date would be announced in the new year and “this time, it will be bigger and better than originally planned”.

But again the event did not take place and despite numerous attempts by stallholders to get in contact with Mr David, he has never responded.

The Express has repeatedly tried to make contact with Mr David.

Soon after The Express emailed questions to Mr David on Friday, the Apple Jar Night Markets’ Facebook page was promptly taken down.

Mr David had told stallholders that Knafeh Bearded Bakers were to be at Apple Jar Night Markets — but Knafeh said they had only been approached and had not confirmed it would be part of the markets.

For Revesby’s Chicky Fonseka, who runs Nasty Delicious — a Sri Lankan street food stall — no alarm bells went off until after she tried to get a refund.

“It all seemed very legit. He (Mr David) asked about public liability and if we needed electricity, how many amps — it was very detailed,” Ms Fonseka said.

“Working in a market, it’s really hard work, so when people take money from you, it’s really disappointing — I just want my money back.”

Get Shrimped owner Abigail Reyel paid $130 for a stall site because Mr David had told her Knafeh (the well-known Bearded Bakers) would be part of the market.

“Any market where the Bearded Bakers are is a huge event,’ Ms Reyel said.

Other stallholders said they had also signed up because of Knafeh.

But Knafeh said it was only ever approached by Mr David, and had not confirmed it would be part of the markets.

Others, like Roselands’ Cherryn Xenos, who owns craft stall Close to My Heart, did not pay upfront but lost out in other ways.

“It affected me quite a lot because I had made a lot of products for the market ... over $1000 worth of Christmas things,” Ms Xenos said.

MAN VOMITS DURING INFLIGHT PROPOSAL

NSW Fair Trading would not say if any complaints had been received, but said since January 2015, it had received 10 complaints about markets in NSW.

Customers unable to resolve their issues with the markets are advised to lodge a written complaint with NSW Fair Trading at fairtrading.nsw.gov.au.