Brexit is hitting Northampton's market says vocal veg trader - '˜but I don't regret a thing'

Northampton's most outspoken market trader says he doesn't regret voting for Brexit even though his fruit and veg stall has been hit by a stagnating pound and the rising cost of imports... and several of you feel the same.
Eamonn Fitzgerald - AKA Fitzy - has no regrets about his decision to vote leave earlier this year... and many of you agree.Eamonn Fitzgerald - AKA Fitzy - has no regrets about his decision to vote leave earlier this year... and many of you agree.
Eamonn Fitzgerald - AKA Fitzy - has no regrets about his decision to vote leave earlier this year... and many of you agree.

Eamonn ‘Fitzy’ Fitzpatrick was a vocal anti-EU campaigner in the run-up to June’s referendum and even posted advertising hoardings next to his Market Square stall asking people to “vote leave.”

But this week he has revealed that even though his market stall has taken a trading dip as a direct result of Brexit, he has no regrets.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He said: “About 60 to 70 per cent of my stuff comes from Spain, but because of the week pound, they are not getting good prices for stuff, so they’re not sending the good stuff over.

“We are getting less stock and it is costing us more - anyone in the food trade will tell you that.”

But he added: “I still think Brexit was worth it this has been a price worth paying as far as I’m concerned.”

Fitzy, who has been threatening to retire for years now, said his reason for voting to leave was because he felt the European Union was undemocratic.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

However yesterday the Financial Times reported the pound had slumped to a 168-year low during the uncertainty around Britain’s separation from Brussels.

The British Retail Consortium believes Brexit will also see fruit and veg suppliers increasingly having to source goods from Africa.

Fitzy himself isn’t convinced the pound will bounce back, but he thinks Britain will benefit democratically ,having voted to separate from a multi-national law-making body and believes the country will benefit from tighter border control.

“To be honest I’ve felt like a free man since we voted to leave,” he said.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Several Chron readers have also taken to out Facebook page to say how they felt about voting leave.

Scott Brown, said: “No regrets at all.

“Everyone that voted Leave were aware that they’d be some short-term impacts. This was a vote to be judged on 10-20 ,or even 30 years’, time -not a few months after the vote.”

Barry Street, said: “I’ve no regrets about voting to leave a most corrupt union. I appreciate that there will be a period of readjustment but once we are fully out of the EU, we can determine our own future based on requirements that are positive for this once great country.”