Love Your Market fortnight!
- Thursday, 21 June 2012 15:14
A two-week national campaign to Love Your Local Market starts on Saturday, 23 June, with National Market Day.
The campaign, which follows retail guru Mary Portas' Government-commissioned review of the high street, is being embraced by Derbyshire Dales District Council.
The District Council's incredibly successful Bakewell Farmers' Market - now the second biggest in the UK - becomes a two-day event for the first time at the end of this month on 29 and 30 June. The extra day - Friday the 29th - coincides with the arrival of the Olympic Torch Relay in the Derbyshire Dales. Also that day an additional stall market will be staged in Bakewell - around the Crescent.
In April, the District Council launched its own 'Love Your Market' campaign to promote its weekly stall markets in Ashbourne, Bakewell, Matlock and Wirksworth. together with the monthly Bakewell Farmers' Market.
Local radio adverts have urged local people to support the markets, while 'Love Your Market' posters have been incorporated in and around the sites of the District Council's four stall markets. The District Council is also using its website and social media outlets, including Twitter and Facebook, to improve awareness.
Launching the campaign, Derbyshire Dales District Council Leader Councillor Lewis Rose OBE said:
"Bakewell Farmers' Market is a continuing success story that brings real benefit to local businesses in and around the town.
"Our weekly Monday stall market in Bakewell is similarly well supported, but it's sometimes a different picture at the stall markets we operate in Ashbourne, Matlock and Wirksworth. We committed recently to improving the way we promote these markets, which have a rich heritage and continue to be an important part of the communities they serve.
"In launching the 'Love Your Market' campaign we're encouraging local people who want to see this weekly tradition continue to make a point of visiting our markets more regularly."
Stall markets take place in Bakewell town centre every Monday, in Wirksworth Market Place on Tuesday, in Matlock Market Hall on Tuesday and Friday and Ashbourne Market Place on Thursday and Saturday.
The District Council's Bakewell Farmers' Market generally takes place on the last Saturday of the month, and strict trading rules ensure only genuine 'local' producers are allowed to stand, unless specialist products cannot be found within a 30 mile radius of Bakewell."
New traders wanting to know more about Derbyshire Dales District Council's stall markets should call 01629 761130 or email markets@derbyshiredales.gov.uk
Mary Portas was commissioned by the Government to put forward proposals for revitalising the High Street. In her report Mary made particular reference to the role of markets and acknowledged that markets can be a significant economic driver in achieving success. She also highlighted how markets can provide opportunities for new start businesses and encouraged establishment of a National Market Day to profile the role of markets.
The Markets Alliance - working with groups including the National Market Traders' Federation, the Local Government Association and the National Association of Local Councils - is supporting the National Market Day and encouraging all market operators to take the opportunity of holding an event during the period 23 June to 8 July.
The Markets Alliance recognises that markets are held on different days, hence the extended period of the National Market Day campaign.
A spokesperson said:
"While we want to focus on attracting new market traders it is also important that markets are seen as being at the heart of the local community. They are a valuable community asset and, in many places, provide the focal point of the town centre. Against this background we want to promote National Market Day within the wider context of 'Love your Local Market'.
"We want to use the opportunity to enable people to show affection and support for their market. While markets have a vital retail role, they can provide much more to a local community and provide a much greater and wider experience. The bustle and colour of a successful market is difficult to rival."
