Newtown welcomed an exciting array of goods ranging from cookies to craft as part of the ‘Young Traders Market’ on the 11th April. The initiative is part of Young Traders Market 2023, a nationwide campaign to encourage 16- to 30-year-olds to sell their ideas on retail markets.
The event acted as a taster event in the lead up to the North Wales Young Traders Market regional final on Tuesday August 8th, 2023. Before the national final in August at Stratford-upon-Avon in Warwickshire.
The event, sponsored by Robert Owen Community Banking, was to give young talent the opportunity to have a free market stall for the day, with the aim of nurturing young people with a route into retail. Stalls included hand-dyed wool products, resin homeware, home baked cakes and art prints.
Mayor, Cllr John Byrne, said “Newtown’s Tuesday Market has a special place in many people’s minds and a regular stop on their shopping trips. We are delighted to see all traders – many who have been coming for years – and we congratulate them and welcome new ones.
Can I extend an extra welcome to our young market traders who may play a big part in the future of the market. Well done to them; please make them welcome in the best way that customers can.”
Town Clerk, Ed Humphreys explained, “The town council has powers, though not a duty, to operate a market under the Food Act 1984, but Newtown’s Charter and its market is rather more interesting.
The original Charter for Newtown was granted by Edward I in 1279/1280 and with it came a right to hold a market, and that no other market could be held within six and two-thirds miles. Though the county council is the owner of the market charter, it lets it under licence to the town council to operate on a Tuesday.
Whilst many Tuesday market traders are well and long established and no doubt keenly anticipated by customers, it’s also important to welcome new ones and the young trader’s initiative seems a platform for its future. Congratulations, welcome, and ‘good trading’ to them.”
The hope of the young trader’s event is to encourage young traders to book a permanent market stall for further trading in Newtown to enhance the offering of the current charter market.
