Traders want support one year after market revival

A year after a town's market was revived, people are being asked to support it or risk losing it.

Redditch Outdoor Market closed in 2020, during the coronavirus pandemic, but the borough council decided to reinstate it and offered traders discounted rates.

An Easter themed market is due to be held on Saturday to mark the anniversary and attract more customers.

One trader, Mark Kovacevic said: "It's alright wanting a market there to look pretty, but if you don't use it it isn't going to survive."

Lindsey Berry, the Town Centre Manager for Redditch Borough Council, said people had asked for the market to come back.

She said the hope had been to bring "vibrancy to the centre of town", but there were challenges because of the temptations of online shopping and the existence of other established markets in the area.

The market now has between nine and 10 regular traders and she said they wanted to create "that community and sense of engagement," which you do not get online.

Kovacevic said he "didn't fancy it" when Redditch market resumed 12 months ago, but was tempted back for one day a week when discounted rates were offered.

He said the market had helped him advertise on social media and "fortunately all my regulars from past years came back and found me".

Unfortunately, he said: "It's on the back of those loyal customers that keeps my trade going. Without that we haven't got the footfall."

"I don't get it," he said.

"They want a market but then when they've got a market here they don't use it."

Darren Harris is one of the traders who have been with the market since it returned.

He said: "It's a nice, pleasant place and I live fairly local, so it's just convenient basically."

Hannah Trueman-Eadi was also attracted because she lives locally and took a stall on eight months ago.

She said: "It's very clean, it's very nice and well organised, the locals are lovely and the traders are really lovely as well.

"Markets like Redditch are special. It's real, its not like you're buying on Amazon, you can feel it, you can touch it and you can see it. You're supporting independent traders and we need your support."

Her hope is that trader numbers will increase and it will be "packed in the summer".

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