The Bradley Stoke Journal

A new monthly farmers’ market that starts on Wednesday this week at the Willow Brook Centre will “bring the countryside back into Bradley Stoke” says Market Manager Jim Wilkie.

The proposed market looked doomed earlier this year after a number of businesses at the shopping centre raised objections to its introduction, leading to one Town Councillor labelling the stores “narrow minded”.

The objections were eventually overcome and the market given the go-ahead for a three month trial run.

Mr Wilkie told The Journal:

“A farmers’ market is unusual in that the people selling are the same people involved in the producing. You can be confident that what you are buying is produced nearby and comes to you directly from local fields, ovens, kitchens and ground.”

“For the shopper it means you are dealing with people that are proud of what they have for sale. They look forward to answering your questions and offering advice on getting the best from your purchase.”

Produce available at the market is expected to include home made preserves and jams, home made cakes, cheeses, plants and flowers, locally reared lamb and beef, hand made chocolates and sweets.

Read on: Stallholders to offer free produce samples »

A monthly farmers’ market looks set to go ahead at Bradley Stoke’s Willow Brook Centre following discussions between the centre’s management and the Town Council.

Plans to set up a regular market suffered a setback last month when the Council’s Leisure, Youth & Amenities Committee was told that objections had been received from one of the major businesses at the centre.

Centre Manager Scott Lahive later told the Bristol Evening Post:

“Three or four of the 22 businesses in the centre raised concerns, most of which were to do with possible congestion and parking problems, as opposed to fears that the market would damage business”.

But last night’s meeting of Full Council was told that the issues have now been resolved and the market will run for a trial three month period, starting on Wednesday 13th October (one week later than originally planned).

Town Clerk Sharon Petela told the meeting that the main objections had centred around potential disruption caused by market traders (un)loading vehicles in and around the Town Square.

The first (October) market will be limited to produce sellers with Artisan (craft) traders being allowed from November.

Related link: Markets in and around Bradley Stoke (The Journal)

An unnamed store at Bradley Stoke’s Willow Brook shopping centre has vetoed the Town Council’s plan to establish a monthly farmers’ market in the Town Square.

July’s meeting of Full Council had been told that Council staff were keen to set up a regular farmers’ and artisans’ market in the Town Square and that initial discussions with the Willow Brook Centre had proved fruitful.

Staff had made contact with a local market organiser and advice had been sought from officials at South Gloucestershire Council.

Some Councillors expressed surprise that Tesco had not objected to the plan on the grounds that it might affect their trade but Town Clerk Sharon Petela explained that experience elsewhere showed that the reverse was true, citing  the market held outside Waitrose in Portishead as an example.

However, hopes were dashed at last night’s meeting of the Leisure , Youth & Amenities Committee, where it was reported that Willow Brook Centre Manager Scott Lahive has since “received objections from one of the major tenants [of the centre]“.

Councillors expressed dismay at the change of heart, with Cllr Julian Barge describing the objections as “narrow minded”.

The first market had been due to take place on Wednesday 6th October and the monthly event had already been publicised on the Farmers’ Markets page of the Taste South Gloucestershire website.