Cogolin fairground moved: regulars frustrated

Due to the six-month renovations underway at the town hall, the Saturday market, previously held weekly on Place de la République, has been moved since mid-June to the bowling alley on Place Victor-Hugo. But the new location is already causing some eyebrows.

The floor, deemed dusty, appears unsuitable for public access. The same goes for the installation of stalls, which has sparked a mixture of discontent among both shopkeepers and customers.

Gilles, the greengrocer, is simply outraged: "Have you ever seen food products sold on a site that is so dirty? It's neither clean nor professional!" The same outraged reaction from Yann, a florist and loyal customer of the Cogolin market for 36 years: "If we're a little more in the shade here than up there, the dust is really terrible!"

On the asphalt, it works...

There are a few different opinions. Among the few merchants attracted by the new location is a clothing seller who has set up his marquee on the paved section of Rue Pasteur. Cameron particularly appreciates the side streets, which he finds attractive and conducive to customer traffic.

Mostly dissatisfied customers

But they too are generally unhappy. Like Claire, a mother of two young children: "It's a pain with the stroller, there's dust everywhere," she complains. Juliette, who usually enjoys this gathering, shares her regrets: "I used to come every Saturday with pleasure to do my shopping, but now, between the heat and the dust, it's really not appealing! "

Crucial problem: parking

Market vendors are now joining forces with Cogolin's shopkeepers to protest parking difficulties and the "disorganized removal of parking lots" (see our June 19 edition). The petition, recently posted online on change.org, had nearly 500 signatures as of Friday. The shopkeepers hope to receive concrete answers by the next city council meeting, scheduled for Monday, June 30.