Doha needs Friday Flea Market (where every item is sold in the open)

Doha needs Friday Flea Market (where every item is sold in the open)

Equin0x
By Equin0x
Most of the countries have weekly flea markets that sell cheap items and provide good pass time to the public on their day of holiday. Doha where only a few entertainments exist, needs an open flea market for everyone to sell every thing to any one.
By Equin0x• 22 Jun 2014 17:16
Rating: 5/5
Equin0x

Qatar has a population of 2.200 million out of which around two million are poor expatriates (90%). While the rich likes to have malls for expensive shopping, the poor expatriates including the watchmen and maids too are forced to shop from these malls on no choice basis. Bangkok is one the top tourist spots, where the tourists come and shop, but at the same time Bangkok houses one of the world's largest weekly flea market (Chatu Chak) that is taking care of the needs of poor and low paid people.

By Enamor• 22 Jun 2014 12:40
Rating: 5/5
Enamor

2 Years back i got a very nice table for my stitching machine in 30 Qrs only from Souq Haraj.Whatever is good in doha is fading away in the name of development :(

By fubar• 22 Jun 2014 12:02
Rating: 5/5
fubar

You need to tell Sheikh Faisal not to demolish Souq Haraj to build luxury shops and hotels. Such a shame, tourists from all over the world come to flea markets, especially in places like Paris, where a visit to Clignancourt or Porte de Vanves flea market is considered a highlight for many travelers.

DOHA: The historic Souq Haraj — Qatar’s only market for used goods and a major landmark — might soon face the bulldozers to give way to a huge and posh commercial avenue which is also expected to boast a twin-hotel complex.

Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim Al Thani, chairman of Faisal Holding, said yesterday his company is holding talks with the authorities to complete the paperwork for the handover of Najma’s Souq Haraj.

“We would be building a huge commercial complex on the land where Souq Haraj is located and the complex would also have two hotels,” said Sheikh Faisal.

The ambitious project, according to Sheikh Faisal, is part of his company’s effort to add to the new and modern infrastructure facilities being developed by the country in preparation for the coveted FIFA World Cup 2022.

Sheikh Faisal said the shops in Souq Haraj will be shifted to another location. He didn’t, however, give details.

Souq Haraj is an old market that now also houses an array of shops selling first-hand goods. It has been a delight of low-income workers and limited-income families.

Shopkeepers of the Souq, where business is hectic particularly on Thursdays and Fridays, reported at the height of rising cost of living in the country a few years ago that their business had become brisk as they were attracting a large numbers of customers.

The shops in the vast single-storey market complex sell both used and new furniture, home furnishings including carpets, air-conditioners, refrigerators, stoves, utensils, and household and electrical appliances, among other things.

However, the Souq was also notorious for selling pirated CDs and DVDs of popular films and songs and a massive raid by anti-software piracy officials late last year had led to seizure of huge stocks of pirated software.

The market at times doubled as a venue for illegal vendors selling all kinds of household appliances and many of them were removed by the authorities a few years ago.

By Molten Metal• 22 Jun 2014 11:28
Rating: 4/5
Molten Metal

You will face a problem of pick pockets they will just land in even from the far flung areas .... Sun 22.06.2014 , 11.30 hrs

By Equin0x• 22 Jun 2014 11:21
Rating: 3/5
Equin0x

Most of the big cities enjoy such a facility, but Doha do not, CMC may be in a better position to comment.

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