Stall owner Keith West (right) with business partner Cameron Spence

• I HOPE Islington will reconsider its decision to shut the stand-alone fruit and veg stalls in Seven Sisters Road in Holloway, (Market traders: why shut our stalls? April 17).

The government’s main concern with outdoor markets is “crowds gathering”. These two stalls are isolated and the commercial premises behind both are shut.

Charlie Antonio’s stall stands alone on a very wide pavement, and I have seen Keith West, who runs the stall outside the Enkel Arms, enforce social distancing in no uncertain terms.

People are being told to limit time their outside the home, yet have to stand around waiting in lengthy queues to get into supermarkets. And isn’t it better to breathe outdoor than indoor air?

At the time of writing, market traders selling food continue to serve our neighbours in Hackney, Camden and Haringey, so perhaps the council could look at how other boroughs manage this.

At least one council (Sandwell) has waived stall fees to support its food traders and communities. The stalls provide fresh, cheap, healthy food for local people – particularly important at a time like the present.

CHRISTY LAWRANCE
Tufnell Park Road, N7