Successful street market to continue

8:00pm Tuesday 18th September 2007

NEW farmers markets revived in a village after an interval of more than six decades have been such a success that they will continue next year.

The final one of the current season is to be held on Sunday September 30 in the main streets of Middleton-in-Teesdale near Barnard Castle, County Durham.

They have attracted hundreds of extra visitors to Upper Teesdale since the Middleton Plus Development Trust started organising them on the last Sunday of each month through the summer and autumn.

Traders have sold all sorts of farm produce and home made goods from stalls, but shops, cafes, garages and guest houses have also benefited.

Susan Semple, the events organiser, said: "The markets have been a great success for the Middleton area this year, so we have already decided that they will be held again every month from next April.

"A number of traders have already booked pitches for next year. Several have said they get better results here than in other places where they attend markets."

At this month's event a 1948 classic coach called Florence will be brought in from Cumbria to ferry visitors from a parking area beside Middleton mart to and from the village centre.

Trips on the 33 seater, which has a sun roof, will be free.

As the day falls during the British Food Fortnight there will be a special focus on local produce, and recipes for the best ways to use it will be handed out.

The Durham Rams sword and morris men will give dancing displays, and the Good Company recorder consort will play at key points.

Ms Semple said that other attractions arranged for every market day have helped to pull in crowds, and everyone involved has been delighted with the amount of business done.

At the original markets in the village, started well over 100 years ago, cattle, sheep and horses were sold in the streets, and there were sideshows as well as stalls selling a wide variety of goods.

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