Trader forced to close Cambridge market stall donates £5,000 of plants to good causes

A florist and plant trader who had to ditch more than £5,000 of stock after being told to leave Cambridge market has donated his blooms to local charities and good causes.

Phil Graves had been working as an essential trader on the market during lockdown but earlier this month was informed that he was no longer designated as essential and that his pitch would be handed over to someone else.

With such short notice about the closure of his stall, he had nowhere to sell his plants and flowers.

Initially he said he was going to have to bin all of his stock. But now he has donated many of his plants and flowers to local organisations and charities.

Phil says: “I have given away a lot of the flowers to various good causes including the Head to Toe mental health charity, Woodlands Care Home and the roundabout in Trumpington. I’m starting to have to ration them now as they have been quite popular. I’m glad they will be used as it is really sad to see them go to waste.”

Mr Graves is now considering his position on the market.

“I’m starting to wonder if I would be better off with a shop than a stall, to be honest,” he said.

“My stall pitch is so windy that any temporary stall they are planning would blow away.”

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