Page 15 - Market Times December 2020
P. 15

FEATURE • AMPTHILL
“It’s a good market. I arrive at 6.30 in the morning and there are already customers waiting for me,” John said.
And Ali, who sells olives, nuts, Turkish delight and other confectionery, agrees. “The locals are nice people and I have
picked up a lot of new customers in lockdown and they have stayed with me since,” he said.
The market has gained new traders whose previous livelihoods have been affected by the pandemic. Joanne Canalella is one of them. She and her husband were both made redundant after being furloughed and Joanne decided to turn her hobby business into a full-time enterprise.
She launched The Fudge Can on the market after her crumbly fudge tickled the
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 Emily Davies has left primary school teaching to make a go of her arty business, Stories in Glass. She sells beautiful gifts made from glass mosaic pieces mainly online but she recently started standing the new monthly craft market
John Cooke travels from Lowestoft to sell fresh fish on the Bedfordshire market where he has built up a loyal following
taste buds of family and friends.
“I really love crumbly fudge and I tried
for ages to make it myself. It’s made with fresh cream and you have to beat it when it gets to a certain temperature to get the crumbly texture. I burned so many pans,” Joanne said.
Eventually she cracked it and when she gave her fudge to family and friends they convinced her she could make a business making and selling it.
“It was a hobby business until lockdown, but now it is how I earn a living,” she said.
John Hayden has also turned to the market since the virus affected his business. “I used to sell my quality soap, hand cream and shampoo on markets when I started six years ago,” he said.
He moved on to selling mainly in offices
where sales took off. But when COVID-19 arrived that avenue was closed overnight.
“I thought Ampthill would be a good market for me,” John said. “My customer profile is the Waitrose shopper, and this market is next door to Waitrose, so it’s the right people for my products,” he said.
“Although footfall isn’t always strong, it is steady. People in this town have money in their pockets and they buy from me, which is the important thing,” he added.
Donna says the market has emerged stronger since lockdown.
“We have new traders and that sense of community and loyalty to local businesses has come to the fore,” she said.
A craft market launched last year to mark the 800th anniversary adds to the vibe one Thursday a month.
Spearheaded by local shopkeeper Maria Harris-Ash, it takes centre stage on Market Place, with a handful of different arty, crafty traders bringing something new to the town and creating a buzz.
Maria has a shop in town where local artists and craft people also sell their wares.
“I thought it would be good to start a market where they could showcase their work and also give people another reason to come into town,” she said.
Among those testing the water on Market Place for the first time was Emily Davies, who has given up her job as a primary school teacher and now runs Stories in Glass. She sells beautiful gifts made from mosaic glasses.
Over lockdown she raised £500 for the NHS selling rainbows made from glass mosaic.
Donna said: “The craft market has gone well and the charter market has come back strongly. We are hoping to keep things going as they are. We feel the loyalty of local people and the strong community spirit will help support the market in these difficult times.”
    FACTS & FIGURES
l Market Day: Thursday
l Market Rent: £7.50 per stall
l Ampthill’s claim to fame: Ampthill in Bedfordshire was a favourite haunt of Henry Vlll who visited the castle that was home to Catherine of Aragon and went hunting in the surrounding woodland. It is an attractive Georgian town with a strong sense of community.
  Ali Hussaini was a mainstay of the market during lockdown. He sells olives, nuts, Turkish delight and other confectionery
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