Fresh aromas, vivid colours, eclectic treasures, buzzing crowds – a mere stroll amongst the many (often 100+) stalls of an Artisan Market are enough to invigorate the senses and whet the appetite. These markets aim to keep things authentic, providing a rare but enchanting opportunity to meet the many food & craft producers & suppliers. The local entertainment and local community groups provide a real sense of ownership, adding to the atmosphere, the mix and bustle reminiscent of yesteryear with a contemporary twist. It is a haven for anybody who cares about the quality and provenance of the food they eat, for those that seek something different from that on supermarket shelves. It provides a cornucopia of exquisite handcrafted, artistic items and an opportunity to interact with the artisan who has produced them. But it’s not just the sheer quality of the items on offer that makes an Artisan Market so special – it is also about the people and the place. Locally based craftspeople and producers who are passionate about their products represent each town. Every market incorporates local organisations and community groups, and is lifted by local entertainers all keen to showcase the homegrown talents of their performers. Most of our stallholders are themselves primary producers – people who grow, make, create, style, rear, craft or bake the products that they sell. Others are suppliers with intimate knowledge of their products and the people who made them. As a result, the Artisan Markets have become a vast repository of culinary knowledge, artisan craftsmanship and skills from previous generations. It’s a place to explore, to ask questions, to discover new flavours, stumble upon raw talent, unearth entrepreneurship, nurture bygone mastery, and to savour a unique, buzzing atmosphere. How it came about
Town centres as we knew them have changed considerably over recent years our mission since 2011 has been to help revitalize, add a new dimension and inject the buzz and effervescence back into the community. Many towns across the country are suffering because so many of their residents are choosing to shop elsewhere. The explosion of online shopping, free parking and other enticements to out of town shopping centres, the demand for convenience – is what is driving our towns into extinction. The low numbers of visitors in our town centres is causing towns to lose their vibrancy and attraction to residents having a direct detrimental effect on retail businesses. The town then becomes less attractive to new businesses and thus the downward cycle perpetuates itself. People now demand so much more, they want an experience, they want customer service, and they want choice and knowledge, character and diversity. By delivering the Artisan Market in towns across the region we are fulfilling all of these demands, and helping to reinvigorate the towns we live in. We provide an exciting, unique event that brings people together as a community. It encourages more people to visit their town and rediscover the many things it has to offer. Towns
The towns we attend vary tremendously in demographics and size – but the key is that each event is adapted and integrated to the individual town’s own unique characteristics providing an event that the community can be proud of and take ownership. Values
Our core values reflect what is really important to us as a company and underpin The Market Co’s culture and ethos. Artisan Markets are more than a place to buy or sell goods, they are all encompassing, dynamic events that bring the town alive. We strive to source the very finest artisan traders and products to deliver a high quality and heterogeneous mix for our visitors. This offer compliments rather than competes with the high street retailers providing a synergistic environment. Entertainment is provided which is locally sourced and inspirational. Community groups and organisations are encouraged to think outside the box and get involved in a creative way, offering them a platform to showcase themselves to the wider community – which in itself provides a unique local feel and sense of pride, as well as valuable exposure. The Artisan Market is a place where our visitors can connect and interact with the specialists, meet friends, be introduced to new ideas and enjoy their town to the full. Our events have a warmth about them, they increase visitor numbers to the town, they improve the dwell time spent within the town, they showcase what the town has to offer every day of the month and ultimately we provide an exceptional day out for our visitors.
