Free entertainment to mark market change

A free bouncy castle and face-painting as well as musical entertainment by singer Jenny Quinn are in Swadlincote town centre on Friday (August 9) to officially mark a new operator taking over the market.

New venture SW Markets & Events is now managing the market for South Derbyshire District Council, and a fun day for all to enjoy has been organised to mark the occasion.

Events begin at 10am and half an hour later Council Chairman Cllr David Muller and Chief Executive Frank McArdle will be visiting the market, with the new operator Simon Wardle. Local Elected Members will also be attending.

The market itself will be open as usual from 8am with it and the activities continuing until 3.30pm.

Regular visitors to Swadlincote on market days may have already noticed that new stalls and equipment have been introduced, giving the market an updated feel. Simon Wardle says he is hoping to introduce further changes over the coming months.

The longest standing trader operating on the market is butcher Peter Bradbury, who rears his own free-range beef and lamb locally, bringing farm shop quality onto the high street. The most recent addition is a fishmonger who is bringing fresh fish from Grimsby

Other regular stallholders sell rugs, haberdashery, women’s fashion, pet and bird supplies, sweets and toys, jewellery and watches, plants and flowers and offer key cutting and a myriad of other products and services.

Local history archive Magic Attic exhibits once a month and the new operator has plans to attract new traders and introduce one-off specialised markets. Discounted stall fees and business advice are on offer to new start traders.

Swadlincote market operates in the High Street on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 8am to 3.30pm, with the mix of traders changing each day.

Commenting on the new agreement, Simon Wardle said: “We are very excited to take Swadlincote market on and look forward to seeing a good growth in traders and visitors.

“It has so much to offer - we already have a good variety of stalls, the High Street is traffic-free during the day and parking in Swadlincote is free of charge.

“Interest in markets is picking up again as shoppers look to find items not available in high street or online outlets. We are confident Swadlincote - the market town of The National Forest - will benefit from this.”

7 August 2019