Britain’s Favourite Market 2018 is Shrewsbury Market

Britain’s Favourite Market 2018 – Shrewsbury Market

A focus on collaboration, community focus and cuisine marked out the winners in the Great British Market Awards at The Council House, Birmingham (25 January 2018) presented by Celebrity Cake Artist, Molly Robbins, star of Channel 4’s ‘Extreme Cake Makers’.

Organised by NABMA (National Association of British Market Authorities) and sponsored by KPR Midlink, The Great British Market Awards celebrate excellence in retail and wholesale markets across the UK.

Great British Market Award Winners 2018

Best Food Market, EAT: FESTIVALS

Best Community/Parish Market, NATURALLY NORTH COAST AND GLENS

Best Small Indoor Market, TODMORDEN MARKET

Best Large Indoor Market, BARNSLEY MARKET

Best Small Outdoor, SAFFRON WALDEN

Best Large Outdoor, STOCKTON MARKETS

Best Small Speciality, ALL SAINTS GARDEN MARKET, CAMBRIDGE

Best Large Speciality Market, SKIPTON CHRISTMAS MARKET

Best Market Attraction, BURY ST EDMUNDS for St Benedict’s School Market Projects and Puppet Parade

Best Wholesale, NEW SPITALFIELDS

Britain’s Favourite Market, SHREWSBURY MARKET HALL

In a three-stage judging process, SHREWSBURY MARKET took the title of Britain’s Favourite Market beating tough competition from Norwich, Cambridge, Skipton, Leeds and Barrow after running a successful online voting campaign to secure public votes to get to the final six. This was followed by scrutiny from a visiting team of NABMA judges and a mystery shopper visit to test customer service by Storecheckers.

Other winners included traditional, long standing markets with an emphasis on heritage and customer service such as TODMORDEN MARKET, who won Best Indoor Market. Enterprise and innovation were recognised in STOCKTON MARKET who won Best Large Outdoor Market for their event programme, the work of their Enterprise Officer and their work with schools.

Food and drink continues to be a focus for markets to remain relevant. The winner of Best Food Market, EAT: FESTIVALS, continues to drive footfall and put back into their community with youth initiatives for 16-24-year olds and emphasis on local produce in Somerset.

Best Large Indoor Market was awarded to BARNSLEY MARKET where, despite the pressures of refurbishment and transitional arrangements, there is attention to detail and a commitment to quality service and fitments. The Management team have heavily engaged with traders and have supported young people taking their first steps on the business ladder. The market continues to be ‘a dominant force in the town’.

Best Community/Parish Market was awarded to NATURALLY NORTH COAST AND GLENS, a roving market which moves from location to location supporting communities in Northern Ireland.

SAFFRON WALDEN MARKET,where some traders have traded successfully for over 50 years, won the award for Best Small Outdoor Market. The market continues to be well supported and increasingly popular because of its commitment to constant improvement.

ALL SAINTS GARDEN MARKET, CAMBRIDGE won Best Small Speciality Market. Judges said this was a fantastic example of a niche artisan and craft market, with an expertly curated authentic handmade offer of a high standard, perfectly suited to the available demographic.

NEW SPITALFIELDS MARKET won Best Wholesale Market for a continual range of infrastructure upgrades, including initiatives around waste recycling, health and safety and accident reduction. Trading is strong, the market is vibrant and positive change has created strong relationships between all market interests.

BURY ST EDMUND’S MARKET won Best Market Attraction for St Benedict’s School Market Projects and Puppet Parade. Ideas to encourage next generation business start-ups included an incubation project for young people using sixth formers to support traders’ social media accounts and free PAT testing. There are also stalls for local retailers to showcase and sampling stands with tasting stations for local restaurants.

SKIPTON MARKET scooped the award for Best Large Speciality Market for Skipton Christmas Markets which are part of a large portfolio of market activities for this tourist town, attracting thousands of people every year. The Christmas markets are geared up for coach visits, support existing market traders and create additional footfall for town retailers in general.

NABMA President, Councillor Chris Rosling-Josephs said “I am delighted that, once again, we have had a diverse and inspiring set of applications from markets across the UK for this year’s GB Market Awards. Congratulations to everyone who applied and to the winners who showcase the best in innovation and enterprise.’

High Streets Minister, Jake Berry, said,

Thriving markets are crucial to the prosperity of Britain’s high streets, their local economies and also make an important contribution to the vitality of our communities.

They can also offer invaluable start-up opportunities for budding entrepreneurs keen to trial new ideas and products.

I’d like to congratulate all those who work in Shrewsbury Market as well as all the other award winners and wish them all the best for their future trading.

NABMA Chief Executive, Hilary Paxman, who was one of the Judging panel members explained,

Over the last ten years SHREWSBURY MARKET has reinvented itself, adapted and changed its offer, turning the business around using a distinctive food offer to build a local reputation. In the last three years footfall has risen by 40% and it has put on some fantastic events which have attracted a new audience of shoppers and is making the market hall the go-to place in this market town.