Page 6 - Market Times April 2022
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FEATURE • WARWICK
adapted to lockdowns and homeworking and some launched new businesses on the market.
CJ’s took the opportunity to modernise the market operation, with a new website that is Jamie’s baby, and rent collection online.
The number of traders on the market has increased from 18 or 19 in 2017 to anything from 90 to 145 in the summer months and an average of 62 in the kipper season.
Marcus said: “When you speak to people in Warwick, they say they really love the market and that is exactly what we wanted.”
So what do the traders think of the changes? Myles Salmon loves Warwick market. He began selling the pies his brother makes on markets in 2011 under the brand name The Cotswold Pudding and Pie Company.
His business has boomed since he invested in a van four years ago and began selling cheese and other deli products alongside his pies.
“During lockdown I started delivering to local villages and I have kept that and stopped some of the markets,” he said. “When CJ’s took over this market it was dead and now it is fabulous. It just gets better and better.”
Tony Beddle, who has been a market watch man for 29 years and also sells fancy goods on Warwick market, said: “This is my favourite market.”
Like all long-established traders, he re- members the good old days, but Tony points out that his business is internet-
 He and Jamie recalled spending more than four hours unwrapping the plastic, and setting up the market for the traders the next day was a struggle.
Jamie said: “Traders generally don’t like change and they didn’t want us running their market because they didn’t think we had the experience.”
Gradually CJ’s won the trust of the traders and both markets ran smoothly.
John said the first five years seemed to pass in a blur. The existing traders warmed to the CJ’s team approach and new ones came on board.
“We didn’t poach from other markets, but with market traders the word gets round quite quickly,” John said.
One or two of the older traders retired and the new recruits brought a stronger, more modern and unusual food element. Quirky, craft-type businesses trying to make a go of their new enterprises followed.
And when CJ’s lease was renewed, the company invested in bright new stalls with blue and white canopies which creates a smart, new, uniform look.
Then the unexpected happened. “Like everyone, we were completely taken by surprise when the pandemic arrived and we shut the market down for nine weeks in the first lockdown,” John said.
By that time, Warwick market was thriv- ing and the traders and the council had a bond of trust with CJ’s.
Marcus Ferguson, business support and events manager for the council, said: “We have worked closely with CJ’s Events in partnership, I would say.
Marcus Ferguson, business support and events manager for Warwick District Council
“The charter market is really important to the town of Warwick and its USP is a good food offer and niche products that you can’t buy online or in a supermarket. The council wanted to support that because it is a good way of nurturing new businesses which could become important for the town.”
The joined-up approach on Covid- compliant measures worked so well that The Times featured Warwick market as a case study for best practice. The layout of stalls was changed to create more space and hand sanitisers and masks were introduced.
“In the end the pandemic has really helped the market,” John said. “The layout has improved the market so we are keeping it,” he said.
Road closures were put in place, which will also stay, and the market became a mainstay of life in Warwick as people
   Tony Beddle is the watch man on Warwick market where he also Pete and Jayne Whalley now happily run a foodie business selling sells fancy goods olives and French bread and confectionery on Warwick market








































































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