gil
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Setting up a Farmers Market - Pt 3 good thingsWe've just had our 3rd monthly Producers Market (the 4th if counting the 'Market on Tour in a Tent' at the Agri Show).
Using a clicker and someone's teenage son, we counted about 350 people entering the hall.
Opened up the Comments Box afterwards - we left a cardboard box made into a postbox, comments forms and a supply of biros on a table by the door for visitors to give us anonymous feedback.
All very positive : how good the produce is, the variety, the friendly and helpful atmosphere, how good it is to be able to 'buy local'.
One thing people would like to see is more visible indication of just how local the producers are. We're thinking about putting up a map with pins in at the entrance to show where the stalls are from, as well as asking stallholders to display their location more prominently.
The LOCAL food and drink aspect is proving a really big draw.
As is the GROWN/MADE BY THE STALLHOLDER factor.
One comment we liked was 'better than the high street' - this in a small town that does not have the large multiples but has a lot of independent small shops, some of which are quite good. In another way, it's a bit worrying, as we don't want to antagonise local shopkeepers, and hope we bring more business into the town as a result of increased footfall from the market.
We've managed to get a wide variety of produce. Although we're limiting the number of stalls that sell each type of food. Stallholders would be cool about competition, but customers say they want the wide range.
On a regular basis, we've got
Bread and savoury pies / quiches
Baking and cakes
Eggs
2 meat stalls (1 local, 1 rare breeds)
Fresh fish + smoked fish
Honey
Cheese
Preserves
Cupcakes + party cakes
Veg/herbs
Wine
Beer
Cafe with home baking
Plants
All the producers who've had stalls want to be regulars.
Stallholder parking, loading and access is very good. So is visitor parking.
The venue is really good, after initial teething troubles with the site landlords. Indoors in winter is particularly good, though we have an outside option for high summer, for those as wants.
We've limited the number of craft stalls to 6 per market, with regulars
Photography
Crooks and sticks
Shetland wool, sheepskins, knitted/woven goods
3 jewellers on a rota
Craft stalls don't sell that much, though the good ones get serious enquiries / commissions.
People are far more interested in the food and drink side of the Market. It's plainly visible in the way they go round the hall.
We're getting repeat visitors/customers already, and folk have put us on their monthly calendar of 'must visit' Farmers Markets. Some people are coming from quite a distance, including Cumbria and Northumberland.
Been using the media, and attracting attention from Scottish Enterprise, the regional Food Forum, people wanting to start FMs elsewhere in D&G, and D&G Council generally. We need to get the tourism agencies on board before next spring.
Those are some of the good things. So far, so good.
Another thread to follow on what we've learned from our mistakes / issues so far.
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