Fleetwood Market celebrates success during LYLM fortnight

Love Your Local Market (LYLM) is a celebration of our market culture here in the UK that happens over a fortnight in May. 700 markets took part in 2013, putting on over 4,000 events. LYLM is also all about entrepreneurship and since 2012 the markets industry has pledged around 7,000 pitches to new traders.

As part of the 2014 celebration (14 – 28 May), Fleetwood Market offered a generous support package for new traders. The campaign focussed on youth markets and all young budding entrepreneurs were offered a reduced rental of £10 per day for an indoor pitch with a discounted rental period of six months on offer thereafter for all new traders who continued trading.

Six new traders signed up to the initiative offered by Wyre Council, selling a wide range of goods including handmade jewellery, candles, spiritual and tarot card readings, perfumes and fragrances and teddy bears that customers build themselves.

Terri Howarth, 17 is new to trading selling candles, candle holders and vases at the market. Terri also studies Travel & Tourism part time at Blackpool & The Fylde College.

Tracey Titman is offering customers the chance to make their own bears and with her previous customer services experience with Asda is really enjoying the hustle and bustle of market trading.

As part of the support package offered by Wyre Council, the traders have received a discounted rental period of six months to encourage them to establish a successful business at the market.

Three Fleetwood Market traders from the LYLM First Pitch Scheme in 2013 have just completed their first twelve months of trading. Shelley Dixon of Daisy Daze is one of 35 traders who have made it through their first year on the markets, a success rate for the scheme that has doubled due to the support of the Royal Bank of Scotland, which awarded £50,000 to the NMTF.

An event that celebrates entrepreneurs who have launched a business on one of the nation’s 1,400 markets is taking place in York on Monday, June 9 at The Royal York Hotel.

Run by the National Market Traders Federation (NMTF), the event will attract market traders from all over the UK for a day of inspirational speeches and training workshops with one trader being awarded £2,000.

Joining Shelley as a finalist from Fleetwood Market are Myles Brent of Myles’ Bags and Julie Porter of Oooh Baby, baby clothing stall.

For further information on all of Wyre’s markets log onto www.wyremarket.com or find them on Facebook www.facebook.com/WyreMarkets