Hi guys, could somebody explain exactly what night market work involves please? I am a relatively new driver and have a chance of getting a job with a firm in Donington on nights but have heard some horror stories so thought I would ask the experts what this entails.
many thanks in advance.
ss
Working nights at a market would be my guess! 
one qualification you will need is eyes in the back of your head… but on the plus side most of the market lads anywhere are a good bunch to work with… daunting at first but once you get to know everybody and most important, get a lot of phone numbers, you will find it a piece of pee
Yeah (nights) would be 12am onwards most likely if produce , there maybe some handball if not the whole load involved unloading the the markets , bags of carrots/spuds ect ,
It could be either fresh fruit and veg or chilled/frozen. It will most likely be to wholesale markets i.e where your local market trader will go to buy their stock. They can be big places and you could go into one market with multiple drops for different wholesalers. They can be a be daunting at first but once you know the wholesalers and there delivery points they are easy. Smithfields, Billingsgate Fish market and Rungis in Paris are a few of the more famous ones.
Strike up a good relationship with the fork truck drivers at the markets. They can help you a lot when it comes to getting multi-tipped, and even making some time on your rounds.
Winseer:
Strike up a good relationship with the fork truck drivers at the markets. They can help you a lot when it comes to getting multi-tipped, and even making some time on your rounds.
and they will expect a £5 bung 
Winseer:
Strike up a good relationship with the fork truck drivers at the markets. They can help you a lot when it comes to getting multi-tipped, and even making some time on your rounds.
this^^^
it all seems abit manic and daunting at first, but once you suss out where stuff is, who’s who, and how to get on with everyone, you should be laughing.
we do alot in to smithfield, i’m there tonight, 3rd time this week, its very hustle and bustle and you need eyes in the back of your head, expect motors to be abandoned everywhere.
we do containers so i get to sit there and watch life go by. plenty of 24 hours caffs, and at reasonable prices 
london has never bothered me in an artic, in fact i’d happily do this run every night.
I enjoyed the markets, birmingham, leicseter, notts, leeds,manchester, liverpool, wolverhampton were my regulars i got into them from between 8pm till about 2am after that time they got very busy, as mentioned helped if you had a bit of cash on you for use or help of forks, payed between £2,50 -£7,00 all depends how many pallets or market , done the london markets aswell but found them a bit more daunting, most markets have dozens of lock ups come stalls drop allocated pallets in or outside with paperwork then on to the next, found most of the lads trustworthy so no need for signatures on p/w. Most markets have the same rules and set ups so once you get the hang of it easy, I used to swap with other lads ie if i had 5 drops for say manchester and a couple for leeds i would take his and he would take mine saving time we would sort this out at birmingham, so in all good job and good bunch of lads ,
thanks for the replies. Not sure what you mean about paying the forklift drivers? Does it mean u have to pay them to unload you, and if so, do you claim it back from the company you work for?
regards
ss
sane-scotty:
thanks for the replies. Not sure what you mean aboutpaying the forklift drivers?Does it mean u have to pay them to unload you, and if so, do you claim it back from the company you work for?regards
ss
You don’t have to pay anyone, but it can make a hard nights work into a bloody easy one, and saves you a lot of hanging around. There has been a long discussion on the rights and wrongs, but 6 pallets of cucumbers or cauliflowers can be a pig to get off on your own 
Especially with 4 drops, some places start at 3am, some wont get in till 5.30. The forkies will sort that for you and take the lot off.
Need to have some cash as well … some of the markets, you have to PAY to get in … even if you are delivering … unless it has changed … certainly New Covent Garden & Team Valley ( Gateshead ) … don’t remember paying @ Birmingham or Sheffield ? … but aint done any of the markets for years.
Once you get into the swing of it, you soon get to know the “crack” … as has been said … FORKIES are your best mate … whatever they say is RIGHT
Wheel Nut:
sane-scotty:
thanks for the replies. Not sure what you mean aboutpaying the forklift drivers?Does it mean u have to pay them to unload you, and if so, do you claim it back from the company you work for?regards
ss
You don’t have to pay anyone, but it can make a hard nights work into a bloody easy one, and saves you a lot of hanging around. There has been a long discussion on the rights and wrongs, but 6 pallets of cucumbers or cauliflowers can be a pig to get off on your own
Especially with 4 drops, some places start at 3am, some wont get in till 5.30. The forkies will sort that for you and take the lot off.
i know you wont get a reciept of the " forks " but do you get it back off the gaffer or have to front it yourself. 
I worked for IDS evesham and anything we paid out we got back ,
Like the others said all ways carry 5 pound notes they will come handy I all ways use cp or total at birmingham they take the lot off you 1 pound a pallet take to the stalls for you welling london iff you go in before midnight stall 60 he lend forks to you 50 pence a pallet gateshead go total round back iff not buzy the same I’ve been doing markets now 9 months it good I do all over uk crazy after 3am london ones 5 pound get in welling I think its 3 hours 5 over 3 hrs it goes up then up try get around quick as you can the earlyer you get to them the better iff you see me ask eany questions I will help I drive yellow and blue renault prem I work mon to sat
Watched that new programme on the TV last night about Spittlefield Market, some right “Hey Boy’s” about there 
God help that wee Romanian girl serving out the tea,
did you see the boys grabbing her arse and the slagging shouted at her, can you imagine the same thing in a Tesco RDC 
thanks alot guys…the bloke said they would send me for three nites with another driver to get the hang of it, they seem like a good firm but i realise theres good points and bad bits about every job.
regards ss.
Big Truck:
Watched that new programme on the TV last night about Spittlefield Market, some right “Hey Boy’s” about thereGod help that wee Romanian girl serving out the tea,
did you see the boys grabbing her arse and the slagging shouted at her, can you imagine the same thing in a Tesco RDC
sounds good, is it on the iplayer.
Ive done a market once and it stressed the life outta me! How people dont get killed is incredible!
Yeah it’s on iplayer JD. There’s three, billingsgate, spitalfields and the veg one.