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Jun 2020

Last Updated: 10/06/2020

Business

Stall numbers double as Knaresborough market re-opens today

by Suzannah Rogerson

| 10 Jun, 2020

The market re-opened today with strict safety measures in place, traders were hopeful that their shoppers would return. One trader says "we could do alright from this".

Knaresborough market re-opened with more stalls this morning. Coronavirus meant only essential stalls such as food stalls opened during the pandemic, but from today a further range of stalls opened.

The market has clear safety measures in place and encourages socially distanced queues in front of all of its stalls. Visitors were keen to resume their regular shopping habits and supporting the local traders.

In previous weeks, 12 essentials stalls opened on average but today saw that number more than double. This was due to extra stalls being allowed to return such as those selling clothing and electronics.

John Alexander, runs a card and gift wrap stall on the market, he said:

"From today, I've got about a third less space, so that equates to a third of the takings. But I still have the same overheads, so I'll see what happens. But there's a lot [of other traders] here that are the same and we have to find a way to make the business viable. So I hope it works. I've been here 25 years so its a big change but I understand. People will return once they get the hang of it. I would say the majority of our customers are elderly ladies so we just have to be careful, but the market has made a real effort to keep everyone safe."

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Another market trader Andrew Sutcliffe, runs a women's clothes stall and is pleased to have returned this morning. He told The Stray Ferret:

"I mean I'm normally always here, my family have been here for 80 years. But I had to move slightly so there's enough room between the stall and the shop door. I'm hopeful for sales, I've had a few already this morning but its still early. I've found its actually a bit busier than I thought it would be and I think people are more likely to shop outside anyway. We could do alright from this or we may not, its just a waiting game. "

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Stall numbers double as Knaresborough market re-opens today

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