The joy of shopping in an open-air farmers’ market is now a lot safer.
MERIDIAN Rapid Defense Group has worked with many markets for years using its very own set of "strong and silent security guards," the Archer 1200 Barriers, which when placed at the entrances and exits to markets, provide an impenetrable and safe shopping environment.
The danger has been that these markets, traditionally set up in the heart of urban areas, bring hundreds of strolling pedestrians into close proximity to traffic. And that mix can be messy. Hundreds of accidents, property damage, and even some deaths have driven fire departments and city councils to insist on better perimeter control.
To add to that, recently the COVID-19 emergency threatened the closure of some farmers’ markets unless market management found a way to create the social distancing now required. In recent weeks, as the country began to open up in a controlled fashion, these markets have been some of the first businesses to emerge. However, regulations for vendor spacing, one-way flow, and social distancing have forced them to rethink their footprints.
At the popular Atwater Village Farmers’ Market in Los Angeles, the only option was to move some of the vendors onto the adjoining street. The issue was solved immediately with a set of Archer 1200 Mobile Vehicle Barriers providing a ring of security.
A spokeswoman for the market said, "We needed to close the road next to us to expand our market because of the new social distancing plan we brought in. Everyone spoke so highly about MERIDIAN’s customer service we decided to go with them."
"I think the customers are thankful that we have the barriers here to make for a much safer shopping experience," she said.
It is all part of MERIDIAN’s ongoing relationship with farmers’ markets. On market days at other markets including Beverly Hills, Carlsbad, and Mar Vista the Archer 1200 vehicle mitigation barriers are placed at street entrances making for a discreet but secure shopping zone.
MERIDIAN’s quick drop mobile barriers are ideal to quickly and safely lock down the market area. Unlike fixed or cumbersome temporary concrete or water-filled barriers, the Archer 1200 has the most flexibility of any product in the marketplace. A set of barriers can be in place in less than 10 minutes and while they provide complete security, people can easily move between them to enter or leave.
Peter Whitford, CEO of MERIDIAN said, "As the world has pivoted and changed, I can tell you we have heard from intelligence agencies that the people who want to do harm have also pivoted and changed."
Mr. Whitford explained there is quite a bit of interest when shoppers first see the mobile barriers. "They tell me that they are thankful that the farmer’s market, themselves, are being responsible, not just to the stall owners, but also to the people attending. And that really makes them happy," he said.
