Social Saturdays for Town Centre Market
A popular market is expanding thanks to a drive by the Council to recruit additional traders.
More traders are being welcomed to Newcastle’s general market on Saturdays which is being rebranded as the “Saturday Social” market.
Saturday Social will be a revitalised market encouraging visitors into Newcastle-under-Lyme town centre. It’s a place where a diverse mix of people can interact socially and for the cultural well-being of the people it serves. A healthy mix of contemporary and established general traders will offer fresh food and drink, household items, unique handmade gifts and market garden goods at many price points on The Stones – a town centre for all.
More than 10 new contemporary traders will occupy available fixed stalls and pitches on the town’s busiest general market day.
By placing them on vacant stalls, the Council will build on its progress in breathing new life into the town’s historic market. The traders will be selling unique products, food and drink with no additional duplication of goods being sold, unless footfall and increased sales allows.
The first “Saturday Social” takes place on Saturday, 4 December.
Councillor Stephen Sweeney, Cabinet member for finance, town centres and growth, said: “Exciting plans are in place to create a vibrant town centre fit for the future – thanks to more than £35 million from the Government’s Town Deals Fund and Future High Streets Fund – and part of this focus involves rejuvenating the historic market. New, specialist events such as the record fair, vegan festival, continental food festival and of course the artisan market are attracting thousands of new visitors to the town centre which is creating a real buzz. The Council is now looking at how it can unleash the full potential of its general Saturday market by achieving 100 per cent occupancy rates every week, so that it can improve the shopping experience, increase choice, attract even more new visitors and further boost sales for traders and businesses on a consistent basis.
“An excellent working relationship has been established with Castle Artisan Market – who have hundreds of quality traders wanting to trade at their events – so this is a perfect solution all round. It feels like a really natural progression. It’s hugely positive news and a brilliant opportunity for everyone to work together to create something bigger and better. It will be great to welcome new traders in the run-up to Christmas at a time when there’s free parking at the Midway between 9am and 1pm, in addition to the popular £1 after 1pm scheme on all the Council’s town centre car parks. Don’t forget that parking on council-owned car parks is always free on Sundays.”
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