Artisan Market makes big impact

Wilmslow town centre was packed again on Saturday for the Artisan Market which has proved hugely successful in attracting the crowds.

From the beginning the market has exceeded expectations and in the past four months it has doubled in size - growing from 51 traders in July to an impressive 111 stalls this month.

Many Wilmslow charities, organisations and community projects were supported this month and came along to take advantage of the crowds, including the Green Room Theatre, CHYPS Theatre, Wilmslow Animal Sanctuary and the Combined Charities Christmas Card Shop.

The BBC were also at the market on Saturday, filming their news programme Inside Out, which will be aired in January. The programme entitled 'Enterprise in Difficult Times' will focus on Neil Broomfield who is the founder of The Great North Pie Company.

He has won Best Vegetable Pie and Best Fish Pie at the British Pie Awards and North West Producer of the Year at the North West Fine Foods Awards. The BBC filmed Neil cooking his pies in Bramhall on Friday and came along to the market to film him selling them.

Neil, who lives in Alderley Edge, told me "Saturday was brilliant, a nice day. I have been there a couple of times and really really enjoyed it. There was a brilliant atmosphere and I really enjoyed the filming."

The BBC crews also spoke with other artisan traders, particularly those who have a story which is relevant for the show, such as redundancy, and spent quite some time focusing on the market in general.

Co-organiser Vicky Jackson said: "I'm hopeful that this exposure will be excellent not only for our traders, but also for Wilmslow.

"It is pretty much impossible not to realise that the Artisan brings vitality, life, excitement, quality, diversity and most importantly foot fall for Wilmslow. We have tourists coming from as far as London, Leeds and even Scotland."

I spent a couple of hours on Monday morning talking to Wilmslow businesses about the Artisan Market and the effect they feel it has had to both their trade and the town.

Steve Kennedy, Owner of Mailboxes Etc on Water Lane, said "From my perspective I think the market is fantastic, it's as much about marketing the town as providing really excellent stalls.

"There's no doubt it massively increases Saturday footfall into Wilmslow, but what retailers do with the extra hundreds of people passing their doorstep varies greatly and whilst most benefit, there are some who don't, but the positivity and general feel-good factor cannot be ignored.

"I now close at 11am as my business goes very quiet, but I take the opportunity to get to the market for a few hours, shop, network, and do my own marketing - and it works for me. From my involvement with the Wilmslow Business Group, it is so nice to be associated, albeit tenuously, with Denise and Vickys success. Well done girls."

Steve Leyland who has run the flower stall on Grove Street for the past 11 years told me "I love it, I'm right in the middle. Saturday was unbelievable, it was really really busy. Some shopkeepers are saying its not doing them any good but they should put stuff outside and treat it like a market.

"I've been buying stock especially for the markets, I have flowers like I normally do but I have been getting a few lines in especially for the event. Shopkeepers can't just sit there and expect it to happen, you've got to work at it. The people are there and they've got money to spend so you just have to grab them."

Debra Morton, manager at Greggs Bakery, told me "It's nice, it brings atmosphere. This Saturday was quieter in the shop than last Saturday but it brings new customers. It's a different kind of day, I like it and this Saturday I sent staff out with samples."

Ozkam, from Konak cafe, said "It's good, it's bringing new people into town. We're busy on Saturday's anyway but the market makes it busier so we're happy."

Mark Rogers, who runs a shoe menders and locksmiths on Grove Street, told me "I like the buzz, it brings the locals out and gets everyone communicating again. It's energising, my shop isn't busier on market day but that's not what it's all about. We're busy on Saturday's anyway, it's about the shopping experience."

It's fair to say that whilst all the traders I spoke with thought the Artisan Market was good for Wilmslow not all of them were positive about the impact it has on their trade.

John Maloney, from Expose on Water Lane, said "I'm sitting on the fence at the moment, I'm not sure if it is a good thing or not. It stops people coming on to Water Lane, so whilst it's open we're quiet but once it closes the shop gets busy.

"I hope the traders are here in January, February and March when we're quieter and don't just come and take the cream in December and disappear.

"I do think its wrong that for example there is a chocolate stall when we have a chocolatier, we should be supporting the businesses that are here and paying very high rents."

Mike Williams from Benetton told me "I have mixed feelings because we had our worst Saturday for weeks. We had a really good week but Saturday was very disappointing."

For Jason Lyons, who opened Boutique Babylon at Banks Square, on Friday it was his first experience of market day. He told me "I see it as a positive thing but I'd like to see the stalls come right down Banks Square so we can all benefit."

For many local residents the Wilmslow Artisan Market has become a firm fixture in their social calendar.

Wilmslow resident Elizabeth Parris told me "We would not have gone shopping on Saturday if it was not for the market and as a rule try and avoid Wilmslow on Saturdays unless really necessary.

"However we always make a point of going to the markets as we like the atmosphere and certainly end up buying some delicious produce that we would not otherwise have come across. I think it has certainly increased footfall to Wilmslow on market days which can only be a good thing for the town and its future regeneration/planning.

"My only small criticism would be that it can be difficult to find prices displayed on some stalls and I don't always want to wait and ask but that seems to be getting less and less as the market develops. Long may it last and hopefully continue to thrive."

Co-organiser Denise Valente told me "The feedback I have received is that the Artisan Market is working well for Wilmslow with most businesses benefitting greatly from the increased footfall.

"Residents and visitors have nothing but positive things to say and have a reason to stay in Wilmslow rather than visiting out of town shopping centres, and our traders (most of whom are locally based) are benefitting from the trade on market day and the marketing spin offs for their locally based businesses.

"The Christmas Festival is set to compete with Manchester City Centre – offering an ice rink, a grotto, children's rides, a continental market and an incredible lights switch-on event – all here in Wilmslow. Enticing many visitors to the town at this critical time for retailers and restaurants."

Looking forward to next year Denise said "Early in the new year we will be carrying out a second extensive survey to canvass the opinions of both businesses and visitors to the Artisan Market to gauge exactly what impact the market is having across all sectors. The market will have run for 6 months and we will be in a good position to measure its impact."

If you have visited the Artisan Market, are a trader or work in a local business do share your opinion on the market by using the comment box below.

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Wilmslow Artisan Market