Hucknall market stall traders need everyone's support as they bounce back from lockdown

Traders have been seeing a steady stream of customers coming back to their stalls again since most of them were able to return in April.

And while most say business has largely been good and there are reasons to be positive, many also want to see more being done to promote the market and encourage more people to return and use it again with many agreeing that people ‘don’t realise how much they missed it until it suddenly wasn’t there’.

Steve Bradley, who runs a clothing stall, said: “I started back on April 14 and it’s been really good, I’ve had a fantastic summer, one of my best ever.

"People have really come out and supported us which has been great for us all on the market here.

"The people of Hucknall have always supported us very well.”

Over on his plant stall, Tony Smith was also seeing brisk business when the Dispatch spoke to him.

He said: “It’s been almost the same as it was before the lockdown, people have backed us and supported us.

"People have been at home so they’ve had more time in their gardens and they’ve wanted plants and they’ve supported me and others here, which has been great.”

Fruit and vegetable stall man Mark Larvin’s family have been trading on Hucknall market for generations, going back to Mark’s great grandfather.

He too appreciates the support the town’s people have given the market but also called on Ashfield District Council to help do more to promote it and help stallholders.

He said: “It’s been decent, if a bit hard at times, but people are slowly coming back now.

"We were allowed to keep working through lockdown because we were fresh produce but it’s still been tough at times.

"I’d like to see the council do a lot more to promote it – they do promote it but they could do more because we all need support.”

That was a view also shared by Eleni Paraskevopoulos, who runs a homemade jewellery and gift stall.

She said: “It’s been steady and I believe people have been coming back and supporting the market but I would like to see still more people coming though.”