Posts in category: News

The British public have been voting for their favourite market in the Great British Market Awards & now the top 6 finalists can be revealed. These are Barrow in Furness, Cambridge, Leeds Kirkgate, Norwich, Shrewsbury and Skipton.

The Great British Market Awards are run by the National Association of British Market Authorities (NABMA) and sponsored by KPR Midlink. The awards include a category to find out which is Britain’s Favourite Market and, as a first step, asked the public to vote online for their favourite market. The competition opened at the beginning of October & voting by the public closed at midnight on the 30^th November. The top 6 now go through to the next stage to find out which is Britain’s favourite.

The finalists will receive a visit by two members of the Judging panel before Christmas to see for themselves why the market is loved by their customers and supporters.

During their visit, the Judges will be looking at how the market work with local partners; provide opportunities for new traders and developing businesses; involve young people; drive footfall and encourage dwell time, as well as marketing themselves. Fundamentally the judges are keen to find out why the market is everyone’s favourite locally and why it deserves the title of Britain’s Favourite Market.

Secondly, each market will also receive a visit by Storecheckers, the mystery shopping organisation over the coming weeks.

Hilary Paxman, CEO of NABMA & one of the judges said of the awards;

“Britain’s Favourite Market is a tough competition to win as it relies on the support of a public vote to get in to the final stage. I am delighted for all of the top 6 markets who have made it into the final part of the competition and I and my fellow judges look forward to visiting them before Christmas to find out for ourselves why they should be deemed as Britain’s Favourite Market 2018”. The winner will be announced at the NABMA One Day Conference in Birmingham on 25^th January 2018”.

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Today is the last day to vote for your Favourite British Market in our Great British Market Awards #GBMAs. You have until midnight to make your vote so get everyone you know to vote for you as it might make the difference between making the last 6 or not! Vote here

Watch the latest video on the  Love Your Local Market Facebook site showing markets across the ITV Anglia region. Also see NABMA’s CEO Hilary Paxman’s interview about the Great British Market Awards #GBMAs. Make sure that you vote for your Favourite British Market at www.nabma.com/vote

Scarborough Borough Council has recently spent over £2m redeveloping their Grade II listed Victorian Market and turning it into a 21^st century market place and food court. 

An exciting opportunity has now been created for a new Market Superintendent. They are looking for someone with the passion to make the market work. The postholder will be responsible for the day to day running of the market, supporting traders and overseeing staffing arrangements. For the job advert, description & job spec see our jobs vacancies page here  Closing date: Friday 8th December 2017

Lancing Parish Council are inviting tenders from interested parties for the following concession commencing on 1st April 2018:

Bank Holiday Markets, Beach Green, Lancing

Tenders for the concession are required by noon on Wednesday 13th December 2017. Tender documents and details of the main terms and conditions for the concession are available upon request from Lancing Parish Council Office at the Parish Hall, South Street, Lancing BN15 8AJ. Telephone 01903 753355 or email: admin@lancingparishcouncil.gov.uk 

Please contact them direct for further information.

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Cambridge Market are using their local media to encourage residents & visitors to vote for them to become Britain’s Favourite Market – see article here. In order to ensure that you become Britain’s Favourite Market what are you doing to encourage people to vote for you? Are you making the most of your local media, social media & the local community? What could you to get people voting for you?

Voting for Britain’s Favourite Market is open until 30th November 2017 & can be done at www.nabma.com/vote

NABMA are looking for a Communications Officer. The role will be 3 days per week & the deadline for applying is 31st October. For more information see:https://www.nabma.com/jobs-vacancies/

From 1 February 2018 the baton for the management of Harborough Market will be passed from Market Place Management back to Harborough District Council.

During their four-year tenure, which began with overseeing a half million pound redevelopment of the Market Hall, the daily market has gone from strength to strength. Footfall has increased from approximately 22,000 per week in 2013 to 32,000 plus in 2017 and so too has the range of high quality products on offer from an ever-growing pool of fantastic, dedicated traders.

Market Place Chief Executive, Nick Rhodes said:

“We have thoroughly enjoyed our role as operators and caretakers of this award-winning local authority market. We are very proud of how our management team, under the daily direction of Market Manager Sairah Butt, has helped return Harborough Market to the centre of town life. Through hard work and dedication we have increased trading days, added bespoke events and an antique and craft market to the offer. Our programme of community activities has been recognised by the National Association of British Market Authorities and our business development initiatives commended by the local business community.”

The operating and management company exceeded financial targets for the Market set by the council each year, an achievement they accredit to the relationships nurtured within the community and with the traders. In addition they delivered a range of marketing activities and increased promotions that raised the profile of the Market, not only in the local area, but also as a tourist destination. As the recipients of three awards in recent years – ‘Retail Business of the Year’ Leicester Mercury Awards 2016, ‘Best Small Indoor Market 2016’ National Association of British Market Authorities and ‘Independent Retailer of the Year’ Niche Awards 2015 – and an economically solidly performing market with stall occupancy rates increasingly above the national average, Market Place Management are confident they are handing back a healthy operation.

Market Place are sad to be bringing their involvement with the market to an end; however they fully recognise that like many councils across England, now more than ever Harborough District Council must be mindful of all expenditure and where possible bring services back in-house in a bid to maximise stretched budgets.

During the last four years Market Place has come to regard Market Harborough as a second home. The job to improve a market is an on-going one and they look forward to seeing the results of the council’s efforts in the coming months. Harborough Market is a jewel in the town and Market Place would encourage everyone to visit and support this unique shopping destination.

As everyone knows markets are about people and the company would like to thank the traders, partners and the many visitors for their unwavering support. They would also like to thank Harborough District Council for the opportunity to operate the market and wish the Market every success in the future.

For Britain’s Favourite Market category, of the Great British Market Awards #GBMAs, there is a new application process and criteria.

Stage 1. Voting for Britain’s Favourite Market is now underway and will run until 11.59 pm on 30 November 2017. The voting icon is on the NABMA website www.nabma.com. Anyone can apply and you simply need to put in the name of your favourite market.

Stage 2. On the 4th December the 6 markets that have received the most votes will be announced and will then be carried over to the next phase of the judging process. The number of votes received will not count towards the next assessment phase set out below.

Stage 3. These 6 places will then each receive a prearranged visit from representatives from the Judges panel before Christmas. During their visits the Judges will be looking for evidence of:
– stall vacancy rates on the market;
– how the market promotes itself;
– how the market meets the needs of the local community;
– the vibrancy of the market.

Stage 4. Separately on a different day, a “mystery shopper” visit will be undertaken to see why customers like the market and why traders want to trade on it.

Britain’s Favourite Market is influenced online by the people who come to your markets and your traders. This is a huge PR opportunity with local press releases to encourage shoppers to vote for their local market. Do get them involved!