Page 14 - Market Times February 2022
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FEATURE • DISS
   traders to trade on different days,” Robert said. “The council sees it as a good way to bring life into the town and if you encourage someone thinking of starting a new business to set up a stall, they may be successful and end up opening a shop or a business in town.”
The traders who stand Diss are mainly long-standing market people who have worked alongside each other for many a year.
Among the longest serving is Tony Fields who has been on the market for 43 years and is joined on his stall by his son, Joe, 20.
“I remember the days when it was really hard to get on to markets. Pitches were like gold dust and when you got to market there would be 20 or more traders in front
of you queuing to get on,” Tony said.
In those days he sold cakes, biscuits and
food in bent tins, but Tony says the days when you could throw stuff on the floor and shout “three for a pound” have gone. Now it’s all about, quality, service and niche products.
“You have to move with the times and these days we do a lot more fresh products and deli items alongside the cakes and biscuits. But it’s still a good market. The council supports the market, the customers are very loyal and the atmosphere is very friendly,” he said.
“I have worked alongside a lot of these traders for a lot of years. I can remember Rob on ladies’ fashion at 18 when he had a fringe.”
Rob Hollingsworth, the man in question,
Tony Fields, who has been a market trader on Diss market for 43 years, is pictured with his son, Joe, 20 (right), and Louis Wardle
is one of three clothing stalls on the market. He sells ladies’ fashion. There is a menswear stall and another selling ladies underwear and nightwear.
Rob started helping out on a market stall at Ipswich market, aged 15, for a bit of pocket money. He had a spell away from markets but returned and has built up a loyal customer base on Diss market where he has been trading for the past 15 years.
“To be honest, what has helped this market is that the bigger stores have moved into town but they are within the town, not four miles down the road in a self-contained centre,” Rob said. “It’s a very friendly market and we do well here,” he added.
The fish wagon is a big attraction and has built up a strong following over the
  Rob Hollingsworth first helped out on a market aged 15 and has been selling ladies fashion on Diss market for the past 15 years

















































































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