The Market Weighton Town Crier

Market Weighton Local Producers Market - Latest

Recent Developments threatening the future of the market.

In 2003 Market Weighton Chamber of Trade were asked by Weighton Area Regeneration Partnership to set up a Local Producers Market with funding from Yorkshire Forward and Leader Plus (European Funding).  It was intended that the market would make a small operating profit to cover the Chamber's administration costs and fund other projects beneficial to the community.

For the first year the market ran at a loss due to wages, advertising, insurance, storage costs and site rental costing more than stall hire charges.  All losses were covered by the Chamber and Leader Plus funding until March 2005.

Leader Plus funding finished in March 2005 but the Chamber of Trade decided to continue to run the market, reducing administration, storage and advertising expenditure where possible but the market is still unsustainable with present operating costs.

The main stumbling block to success is Market Weighton Town Council's insistence on charging £100 per market for rent of the car park site.  The site is free of charge for the rest of the month.

The Chamber have requested a meeting to review the charge but the Council have so far refused and insist that they have had reviews and believe the charge to be fair.

Unless the Town Council agree to reduce or forego this rent then the Chamber will have no option but to move the market to another site, possibly out of Market Weighton, or close the market down.

The Market Weighton Charter of 1485 says that we "should have forever the market" and "have free warren on all the lands", we look forward to Market Weighton Town Council to honour that charter.

This article has been reproduced from the Summer 2005 edition of Weighton Whispers, with kind permission of the Directors, Market Weighton Area businesses Ltd.

The current situation is that the meeting with the Council, requested by the Chamber, has not yet taken place.  Lets hope that this situation can be resolved quickly in order to ensure the continuance of the Local Producers Market in the town.  

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First Posted : 24 August, 2005
Last revision : 24 August, 2005