Friday 26 February 2010

Friday Market trial extended...

The current trial of a Morpeth Friday Market will be extended until Easter - so there'll be markets on Friday 19th and 26th.

Then no market on Good Friday - and not on Friday 9th, because that is Gathering Weekend, and the Market Place will be full of jugglers, centurions, punch & judy men and rioting peasants. (Not to unlike a normal Friday and Saturday night in Morpeth then?)
There will be some stalls from the Wednesday and Farmers' Markets at the Gathering too...

So, there'll be a final deliberation by the Markets Partnership on Weds 31st - and if the decision is yes, the Friday Market will be permanent from Friday 16th April.

So - get hold of a copy of the Council's survey (the only one that will be counted this time) - fill it in, and get your views heard.

Friday 19 February 2010

It'll be a riot!

"This year’s Morpeth Gathering will feature a distinct agrarian theme, unrest amongst the labouring classes in the late eighteenth century, revolutionary and republican sentiments filtering across the Channel and protests from locals crammed in dreadful conditions, many for what we’d now deem petty offences but awaiting trial or even transportation to the colonies. Unrest will spark riot and civil disturbances, anger at the hiring fair, discontent on the streets and a final violent confrontation with militia – paramilitaries as we’d now describe them, drafted in from Yorkshire!"

I guess re-enacting the Miners' Strike would be too recent....

Anyway - if you fancy being a revolting peasant - there's a rehearsal next Tuesday (23rd Feb) 7pm-8:30pm at Morpeth Town Hall, contact Tamsin Lilley for more info.

Monday 8 February 2010

Friday the Market II The Return

The second six week trial of a market on a Friday in Morpeth started last week and runs through to March 12th. This time there'll be a big effort to channel all feedback into the County Council's formal survey - which I've had a hand in refurbishing. I think the idea is that if the market is popular, then it'll just carry on into the summer. I know I'm already in discussions about how we can manage the market on the weekend of the Northumbrian Gathering (9th-10th April).

The actual market last Friday had about 16 stalls - but was fairly quiet. It was pouring with rain though. The weather on the Saturday for the farmers' market was better (if a bit cold over 4-5 hours) - and so far I've heard no indication that having three markets in the week diluted trade that much.

I see Northumberland CC has posted a voxpop video of responses to the first trial of the Friday market (last Oct) on U-tube: