Markets come under fire after turning firms away, Teesdale Mercury

TWO markets have come under fire after turning away local traders in favour of stallholders who come from outside of Teesdale.

Angie Townsend has been baking cupcakes from her kitchen at her home in Barningham and had hoped a regular pitch at the market would help her expand her fledgling business. 

But after calling the organisers of Barnard Castle Farmers’ Market she was told too many bakers already sold cakes at the monthly event and there was no room for her. 

Ms Townsend, who launched The Tiny Cake Company in 2008, said she was disappointed about the decision. 

She said: “My baking is quite diverse and I don’t think anyone at the market does what I do. It is a perfect opportunity for people starting out. It doesn’t make life very easy.”

The former gardener, who had to change her trade due to illness, said she was surprised that a lot of the current stallholders were from outside the Teesdale area. 

More than half of the traders on the farmers’ market come from outside of the dale, some from as far afield as Northumberland and Cumbria and Ms Townsend said she feels dale producers should take precedence. “I’m from Barningham, which is five minutes away. It’s a local market; therefore it should support local people. They should have people there who live within a 10-to-15-mile radius,” said Ms Townsend. 

However, rules stipulate that traders can live within a 100-mile radius, although preference will be given to those who live within  

30 miles. But producers within the 100-mile radius will only be 

invited if they have a unique product not found within 30 miles. 

Lisa Hodgson, the Evenwood-based fudge maker and member of Barnard Castle Farmers’ Market,  who runs a stall herself, said: “We have had a few applicants from cupcake makers and although there are spaces on the market we have to have balance and there are too many bakers already. 

“Bakery and jam-making are popular things to do because as well as the farmer’s market, there’s the shops too, we already have Mrs Ps. There are lots of outlets in Barnard Castle for things like that but they are already established.”

Meanwhile the Barnard Castle Wednesday market has also turned away homegrown goods on favour of those from further afield.

Teesdale Conservation Volunteers applied to sell organic fruit and vegetables grown at its base in Deepdale Woods in Startforth but it was rejected because of another established trader from outside of the dale. 

Martin Bacon, who runs TCV, said: “I'm perplexed that in today’s climate when we are all aware of the importance of buying locally produced goods, fair trade, carbon miles and so on that we are not allowed to bring locally grown produce to the people of Barnard Castle. Why aren't the people allowed to choose?”

John Ingham, licensing enforcement officer with Durham County Council, said: “We are very keen to see our markets prosper but like most other small markets, Barnard Castle operates  a ‘no clashing’ policy which stops more than one trader selling the same perishable goods.

“This policy is in place to protect businesses and to prevent food waste. While non- perishables, like clothes, can be sold another day, fruit and vegetables have a short shelf-life and allowing more than one stall to sell them would almost certainly result in food being thrown away.

“On a practical level, there are also times when there isn’t room to accommodate another stall on the market.”