Knaresborough farmers’ market is making a comeback on Saturday.

The monthly market will return with 12 food stalls selling everything from Indian treats to cakes and vegetables.

Stalls will be trading on the town’s Market Square at the usual time of 10am to 3pm.

The market will be the first in the Harrogate district run by Yorkshire Farmers’ Markets to reopen.

It has taken place several years, attracting many locals and visitors but the organisers expect the first one back this weekend may be quieter than usual.

Jane Chidley, market officer at Yorkshire Farmers’ Markets, said:

“We are thrilled to get back to it. All the stallholders were eager to get back as soon as they could.

“We are encouraging people to follow social distancing rules and won’t be offering tasters.”

Due to lockdown the market could only be held for a few months in 2020 and stopped again in January this year.

Ms Chidley said she was hopeful that this time the market, which will take place in Knaresborough on the third Saturday each month, will be “back for good”.

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The Harrogate farmers’ market will return on April 15. It is usually held on the second Thursday of each month on Cambridge Street but has been pushed back a week in April to coincide with shops reopening on April 12.

A Masham town councillor has been given an award for his efforts to keep the town’s market going during the pandemic.

Cllr Ian Johnson is a well-known resident of Masham and has been volunteering at the town’s two weekly markets to make sure they run smoothly during lockdown.

Most locals will also recognise Cllr Johnson’s alter ego Miss Yvette Nightingale who often attends the Saturday market to “raise a smile”.

Cllr Johnson said he was happy to step in after Masham’s long-running market superintendent, Mr John Todd, 87, was forced to self-isolate.

He has been in charge of arranging the layout of the market, providing PPE and dealing with all the stall holders and collecting rents during the three lockdowns.

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His hard work has been commended by the National Association of British Market Authorities (NABMA) with a Friends of the Market award.

Cllr Johnson said:

“It was all a bit of surprise, it was the council clerk that put my name forward. It was very nice but it’s more of an achievement of the town, our stallholders kept going and our residents supported them.”

The award was given to Cllr Johnson during a virtual ceremony alongside a dozen other winners.

The NABMA market heroes awards were to recognise the service that markets and their workers have offered despite the challenges of the pandemic.

A Boroughbridge farm shop is hoping to raise its profile and promote other small businesses by hosting an artisan market this weekend.

When the pandemic put a stop to their events catering business, owners Linda and Andi Aikman had to adapt. They used their local suppliers to start delivering food boxes.

This took off and they opened The Langthorpe Farm Shop and cafe over the summer. The pair are determined to support other small, local businesses.

The market, being held this Saturday, October 31, will stand on the shop’s large car park and across two fields it has rented behind.

It is being organised by Little Bird Artisan Markets and will include 40 traders.

A range of small, local businesses will set up their stalls for visitors this weekend. Photos: Little Bird Artisan Markets.

To be covid-safe, a one-way system will be in place to direct visitors around the food, craft and art stalls. Visitors are also encouraged to wear a mask and only touch items they are going to buy.

The farm shop will also have its own stall to encourage visitors to come inside.

Linda said:

“Our events business came to a bit of a stop in March. So we took to crazy risk in July to buy the shop.

“It’s steady, but people still need to know we’re here. I’m hoping this market will raise our profile and support other small, local businesses too.”

Linda is passionate about supporting other local traders and also the community. Like many other food outlets, she is currently offering free takeaway lunches for those in need during half term.

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Jackie Crozier, events coordinator at Little Bird Artisan Markets, said:

“We want to help serve local communities with the best artisan stalls, whilst giving traders the best opportunities to showcase and sell their handmade goods. When the opportunity came along to work with the team at Langthorpe Farm, it was the perfect match.”

Live music will be playing throughout and one of the stars of The Yorkshire Vet, Julian Norton, will be there to sign his book. A pumpkin competition will also be held in the afternoon.

Masham’s artisan market is set to make a comeback.

The town’s parish council this week approved plans to bring it back after locals called for a return. The last farmer’s market was August 2019.

The market is expected to take place on the second Sunday of each month from April to September next year.

Councillors will now listen to the proposals of local traders before giving the official go ahead.

It will have stalls selling farmers’ produce as well as other items. Masham already has Wednesday and Saturday markets.

Masham’s Wednesday markets are often busy with visitors looking to buy local produce.

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Councillor Ian Johnson said:

“Yes, we have passed it for next year in the summer season. It’ll mainly be the traders who will organise it, they think they can find a few traders in farm produce and artisan items so it sounds good.

“Our Saturday market is always popular. This weekend we have about 20 stalls so hopefully the new one will be a success too.”

Ripon’s non-essential market traders returned to their stalls today after months of lockdown. But some traders believe they have been poorly treated by Harrogate Borough Council.

Harrogate Borough Council, which is planning to increase the rent for each stall by up to 32.4%, has offered the traders no rent holidays or reductions as they get back up and running.

The stallholders argue that due to the inability to trade over lockdown rental reductions should now be offered as they ease back into trading.

Nick Farnsworth, who has been selling women’s nightwear and underwear at Ripon for 25 years, said:

“It’s a disgrace that we are still being charged the full whack, when other areas are doing their best to help their market stallholders.”

Ripon market traders want more support from the council as they adjust to trading again.

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One market trader, Andrew Sutcliffe, who also trades in Knaresborough, agreed with other traders that more support from the council is necessary. He told The Stray Ferret that other markets he works on are currently offering rent holidays and reductions as they adjust to trading at full capacity.

In the week beginning 1st June, other local authorities including Barnsley and Leeds allowed stall holders selling goods classed as non-essential, to trade however the council decided to delay reopening to this week.

Harrogate Borough Council responded to the traders’ claims that they felt unsupported. They said:

“Throughout lockdown, the markets at Knaresborough and Ripon have continued to open in line with government guidance. We supported those essential goods traders to ensure they could continue to work. We’ve not charged for any trader who chose not to attend or wasn’t allowed to because of the coronavirus restrictions.

“Where we have charged, fees have been held at last year’s rates. It’s disappointing to hear that one or two traders feel we’ve not been supportive.  We’ve done all we can to ensure our markets can fully re-open safely and to enable traders to get back to business as usual.”

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.”

Visitors were keen to return to the market this morning, but the traders are aware safety has to be a priority.

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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. “