Buxton Market celebrates fifth anniversary by having lease extended for another five years
Buxton Market, which is celebrating its fifth birthday as a community run and owned group this month, has had its licence extended for another five years.
Not only will the market be continuing to trade for the foreesable future but from April 12 when lockdown restrictions ease, those traders classed as non-essential will be allowed to return once again.
One of the market directors Janet Miller said: “We are so excited to say we will be part of the town for another five years and really excited to welcome back the clothes stalls, the jewellery makers, the Avon representative and the kitchen and homeware traders from Tuesday, April 13.
"While lockdown has been tough we are proud to say that we are one of the only markets that stayed open throughout including the first lockdown when no one really knew what as going on. At one point we did only have the fruit and veg stall but we stayed open and now we are looking to the future and expanding the market.”
Buxton Market was put out to tender by High Peak Borough Council in 2015 and in April 2016 the new market started.
Janet said: “The first two years were tough as we had to change the perception that the town had a dying market to having a thriving market. Customers and traders go hand in hand - if there was no customers the traders would stop coming and if the traders stopped so would the customers so it has been a vicious circle to break but I think we now have a good reputation in the town.”As well as the twice weekly market on Tuesdays and Saturdays, the community interest company has also organised special themed events, food orientated markets as well as crafty and vintage markets, which will be returning the first Saturday in May.
Coming out of the lockdown in the summer last year the market was so large it spread from the Market Place down to the Town Hall.
"There was an appetite for outside shopping for not pushing and shoving around the shops,” said Janet “and we hope when we come out of these restrictions there is the same need to shop local and use our wonderful market.
"We want the market to grow, we want to see more traders coming to Buxton and we want to be a place where want to shop. I look back at everything we have achieved over the past five years and I’m so proud of the market and what it has become.
"A big thank you to the traders and shoppers for supporting us over the years.”
The extended licence will take the market to 2026 and was approved by the council after a business plan was submitted last year.
To mark the fifth anniversary of the market, which will fall on April 27, the team would have liked to have had live music and a big celebration, however with not wanting to attract crowds there will be a small event with cake for stall holders and shoppers.