Shoppers show their love for Gainsborough's market

Veteran trader Flynn Harding (right) and a colleague on the Flynns Fruits stall that he owns.

The idea behind the fortnight-long celebration, which is running until Thursday, May 31, is to attract new market traders and to highlight the importance that markets play at the heart of the local community.

So, the variety of stalls and shops that make up Gainsborough Market Place are excited to be under the spotlight, particularly on Tuesdays and Saturdays when the ever-popular markets are held.

Visitors can even enjoy one hour of free parking in the car parks owned by West Lindsey District Council.

Coun Trevor Young, ward member for Gainsborough South-West on the council and a casual market-trader himself, says he will be supporting the event wholeheartedly.

He said: “I am incredibly passionate about Gainsborough Market, and I hope this event generates even more footfall for our great town.

“As a councillor for Gainsborough, I think it’s great to see a real effort being made to regenerate the markets in the town centre.

“I would urge people to come along to the ‘Love Your Local Market’ event and see all the town has to offer.”

The campaign aims to promote Gainsborough’s Market Place not only to boost shopping and retail trade in the area, but also to highlight it as a valuable community asset.

The event is free to attend, and there will be a competition where shoppers get the chance to win a hamper packed full of goods from the market itself.

One of the market traders already making the most of the event is Flynn Harding, of Flynn’s Fruits, who said: “I have been trading here for 35 years, and our customers are great.

“We are really enjoying the ‘Love Your Local Market’ initiative. We’ve got lots of produce to sell, and we offer a great variety of choice to our customers.”

Gainsborough is just one of the towns across the UK who are finding new and innovative ways of celebrating this year’s ‘Love Your Local Market’ event, which is being run by the National Association of British Markets.

Up and down the country, activities such as food sampling, street parties, schools partnerships, demonstrations of circus skills and appearances by costumed characters are shining a light on markets.

Shoppers are not only visiting their local markets but also chatting to the traders and finding out about running a stall themselves.

There is still time to book a stall for the initiative in Gainsborough. Simply call the council’s markets officer on 07810 658397.