CHEADLE is set to have its first Farmers Market in years in a bid to help boost its ailing trade – and the public are being urged to help make it a success.
Cheadle town councillor and market superintendent Ray Wood has launched the once-a-month event in conjunction with the town’s High Street market’s owner Northern Markets in response to community requests.
The event, which starts this Saturday, March 9, from 8.30am,will be held every second Saturday of the month if successful.
Cheadle market has suffered a tumultuous past. It was managed for six years by Staffordshire Moorlands District Council, which decided it wanted to buy the site last year as its lease was due to end.
But, after its initial offer was refused, it announced this year that it could not justify buying the market in the current economic climate and is now looking at setting up its own market elsewhere in Cheadle.
Mr Wood said: “I felt that Cheadle deserves something better for its market, which I think has been let down over the past six years.
“When the district council’s sale fell through there was demand for an event like this.
“The indoor market is full for the first time in a long time, so we want to try and get something similar happening with the outdoor market. I’ve been around food markets in Stone and Keele and got a few stall holders who are attending.
“The feedback for this has been really positive, we’ve now got around a dozen stalls attending on Saturday, and I’m hoping I’ll be able to get even more this week.
“We’re trying our best to get things going again with the markets, and hopefully if it’s busy this weekend some stall holders will come back every Friday and Saturday.
“Stone was heaving last weekend and Cheadle could be like that.
“But, its success depends on people coming out to support it.
“We would like to encourage everyone to come along and support us, if this weekend is a success then we can make it bigger and better.” Stalls which will be attending Cheadle’s Farmers Market include: a butcher, who breeds and kills all of his own meat; the Great British Cake Company; Half Penny Green Vineyards; a biscuit, shortbread and cake stall; a bread stall; a coffee stall; a home-made pies stall; a home-made scotch eggs stall; a curry stall; a pancake-filled roll stall; and a free-range egg stall.
For more information contact Ray Wood on 07970 336906 or Dave Sargeant on 07988 958704.
