Bedlington Market

[Adam Hogg]

Is it me or has the Thursday Market Improved in the sense of goods sold, even though there are only three traders left?

[keith lockey]

Does three stalls constitute a market Adam!

 

But whilst we're on about markets - and the Old Church School elsewhere - why don't we 'construct' an indoor market. I remember there used to be one at Ashington. Milne House would be a good venue.

Edited April 18, 2014 by keith lockey

[mercuryg]

Where's that then?

[keith lockey]

Where's that then?

 

Milne House? The old Co-op, Merc'. (Sorry, I always call it Milne House.) It makes no odds, it will never happen.

[Adam Hogg]

An Indoor Market was tried down Bedlington Station and I have been lead to believe it has now died a death but I could have been misinformed.

However the Market Traders did say to me yesterday that the weather plays a major part in the income of the market so indoors sounds like a good idea on their part.

[keith lockey]

I remember the station one, Adam. It was a tiny affair in the Resident's Committee rooms - I believe. Not much room for many stalls and most of those were crafts and car boot / home / attic stalls. My mate was there selling all his old stuff if I remember. 

[Keith Scantlebury]

The one at the station  was in Keenleysides. I had a lot to say about on here at the time. It was a complete waste of time, space and effort. Nothing more than a table top sale, selling tat. I walked in once and not a single stall was manned.  Usually those places are buzzing but this was a bunch of sour faced stall holders that weren't even talking to each other.

[R & L Keenleysides]

Hi guys.

I have tried an indoor market in my front shop and warehouse.

At first it was fantastic!  We had over 30 different stalls selling everything from handmade soaps to personalised baby clothes.

We had more than 400 people through the door on the first day!

But, 3 or 4 weeks in we were approaching christmas & stall numbers started to dwindle. As a result, so did customer numbers. (unfortunately, this must have been around the time Keith visited)

The downfall was probably down to a couple of small errors.

1- Timing. Starting a brand new market in the winter. It may have been a different outcome if it was started in the spring.

2- Opening times. If it was only open on weekends, or every other weekend.

3- Quality. As stall numbers decreased I introduced more & more "car boot" type stalls. I heard people expressing their disappointment at the quality of items offered for sale. To be fair, it was advertised as a market, not a car boot sale.

4- Nobles also started a bigger indoor bootsale in Blyth at the same time, & is also no longer there.

It was worth a try atleast, & I thank everyone who supported it, (boo everyone that didnt).

 

Russell. 

[Maggie/915]

It would be great to have a French Style market.

These days it would have to be called A Farmers Market to succeed and maybe held.elsewhere.

Shame Bedlington now has so many new houses there must be a demand for quality..

Back to that Everly Brothers record about Dreaming.

[R & L Keenleysides]

Tynemouth Markets, hold a Farmers Market every third Saturday of the month?

 

www.tynemouthmarkets.com  

[Maggie/915]

There is a Farmers Market in Morpeth too, just a pity it is not Bedlington.

[tomtom]

Clean the town up and in particular the lane running down from Front Street adjacent the Market Tavern to the car park first. Do this then you may just  get some interest shown in a proper market and not the current one selling mostly out of date products and general trash!

[Malcolm Robinson]

That would be my thinking too TomTom...well for a start!