Page 26 - MarketTimesDecember2021
P. 26

26 MARKET TIMES • DECEMBER 2021 The Queen of the North is
upping sticks and moving north
 The “Queen of the North”, Stockton-on-Tees’s 700-year-old- market, is on the move, with Wednesday, January 5th, named as the first day in the new location.
The relocation is part of a £100 million masterplan which will see the redevelopment of Stockton town centre, with the famous market at its retail heart.
It will give traders the best opportunity to benefit from the redevelopment, which includes the demolition of the Castlegate shopping centre and the Swallow Hotel, and the consolidation of retail and the north end of the High Street.
Richard Beddard, markets and town centre manager for Stockton
Borough Council, said there had been a comprehensive consultation with traders and the majority had expressed a preference for a location to the north end of the High Street.
This will mean stallholders moving from their current home further down the High Street to the new spot in the northern events
space, with the layout and stall locations decided following consultation with traders on everything from power re- quirements to stall size and space requirements.
Richard said the council would continue to support the traders and they would get free rent throughout January and February.
   Keswick bag trader Andrew Byrne is Allerdale’s Market Trader of the Year
ANDREW BYRNE, who sells bags, gloves, purses and wallets on Keswick Market in the Lake District, has been named as Allerdale Borough Council’s Market Trader of the Year.
Andrew has been standing Keswick Thursday and Saturday markets for 20 years.
He swapped his career as a supermarket manager for the chance to be his own boss and market life suits him down to the ground.
Andrew said: “The friendliness of market life really suits me, and I would say Keswick is the best market I have ever traded on. That is down to the mix of customers you get, both locals and tourists, the range of different stalls, and the fact they don’t duplicate lines.”
He paid tribute to his dad, Bill, who still helps him on the stall at 76, and his young assistants,
James Mawson, 22, and Josh Slack, 16.
Allerdale Council stages the Market Trader of the Year annually to recognise the hard work and dedication of traders on its four markets, Keswick, Wigton, Workington and Silloth, and to celebrate the vibrancy the markets bring to Allerdale.
Andrew’s award was made because of his hard work as a trader and his role on the new Market Traders Forum that was set up to enhance partnership working.
Andrew said: “We get together online and discuss what needs looking at, any problems and anything worth praising that is working well. It’s a good way of working together.”
Phil Byers said it was an honour to give the award and Andrew was a worthy recipient.
Why don’t more operators run
market trader of the year awards? It costs little to nothing and gives traders a real fillip, not to mention free publicity in local media and social media.
Andrew said: “Market trading is
hard work and everyone likes a little recognition for what you do. It has generated publicity and a number of customers have come up to me to offer their congratulations. So people do respond to it.”
 Andrew (right) is pictured receiving the award from Allerdale council leader Mike Johnson (left), with Market Manager Phil Byers









































































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