Visit your high street and love your local market
Local Growth Minister Mark Prisk urged people to back their local markets during a fortnight of activities designed to get consumers back on their high streets.
Local Growth Minister Mark Prisk at the launch of Love Your Local Market 2013.
Starting today (15 May 2013), this year’s Love Your Local Market campaign will involve over 650 markets across England, with over 3,000 special events designed to showcase the best of local produce, design and innovation, with tastings, music concerts, treasure hunts and other events to celebrate great local food and shopping.
Running until 29 May, the event will also give budding traders a chance to tout their wares with 3,000 free or subsidised stalls available to those who want to try trading for the first time in a low-cost, low-risk retail environment.
Speaking at the launch of Love Your Local Market 2013 in Portobello Road, Mark Prisk said:
Markets can be the beating heart of their communities and a force for good in the local economy. We have seen examples across the country of markets bringing people back to the high street, nurturing new traders and spreading the benefits to all surrounding businesses.
That’s why we’re backing the Love you Local Market fortnight. It is a great opportunity for town centres and for aspiring business owners to give trading a go.
I would urge everyone to visit www.loveyourlocalmarket.org.uk to find their local market and support their local high street.
Graham Wilson, Chief Executive of the National Association of British Market Authorities, said:
Love Your Local Market fortnight gives markets across the country the chance to demonstrate their importance to local communities and also provides the chance for new entrepreneurs to sample market trading for the first time. It is a wonderful opportunity for many people to embark upon a new career.
Councillor Nicholas Paget Brown, the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea’s Cabinet Member for Transport, Environment and Leisure said:
This is a great opportunity to celebrate the entrepreneurial spirit of local markets and their importance to the local high street by encouraging people to shop locally.
I am delighted that Portobello and Golborne markets have been chosen to launch LYLM fortnight. In these challenging times it is great to see our markets continue to thrive and I wish all our traders both new taster stallholders and established market people every success.
Further information
To find your local event visit the Love Your Local Market website
The government is committed to helping high streets regenerate and thrive, and as part of our response to Mary Portas’ High Street review worked with the industry to set up the ‘Love Your Local Market’ campaign.
The campaign is coordinated by the National Association of British Market Authorities (NABMA). The government has been working closely with the industry and has provided £25,000 to help deliver the ‘Love Your Local Market’ 2013.
The first Love Your Local Market fortnight ran last summer. Over 400 markets took part, with 2,000 traders taking up a stall for the first time - 200 of these are still trading today.
Portobello and Golborne Road Market have been awarded the title of best outdoor market in the country by the National Association of British Market Authorities. This year Portobello and Golborne markets are teaming up with a nearby private market Portobello Green Fashion Market and offering over 300 pitches at just £10 a day. Last year 4 traders who took a taster stall have now applied for permanent pitches.
As well as the £10 tasters stalls a number of local charities are running information stands, including Positive Age, K and C Volunteer Centre and St Mary Abbots Rehabilitation and Training (SMART).
Two young entrepreneurs Medina Murkayer and Romaro Hibbert who competed in the council’s Market Enterprise Launch Programme will have an opportunity to market test their products, pre-packed salads and gadgets with a vintage twist, during the fortnight.