For more than 50 years Robin Blair has worked in Darlington’s Covered Market, campaigning tirelessly for local traders. He tells Hannah Bryan why he is so passionate about the town and its businesses

AT the heart of Darlington’s bustling Covered Market lies JJ Blair and Sons – a busy fruit and vegetable stall. “You can lower those to 59p,” says the rosy-cheeked man behind the counter, pointing to one of the brightly-coloured boxes of fruit.

“That’s Robin Blair,” says the woman standing beside me. “He’s a busy man, always in demand.”

At first glance Robin is just like any other greengrocer getting on with his job and serving customers. But for residents of Darlington, he has become known as the face of the Covered Market, a campaigner for local businesses and all-round nice guy.

The 67-year-old is also vice-chairman of Darlington Retail Market Stalls Association, and was this year awarded a British Empire Medal in the Queen’s Birthday Honours for his extraordinary dedication to the market and its traders – an honour he still doesn’t believe he deserves.

“Surely there are more worthwhile people than me?” he asks, chuckling to himself.

“I’m just doing what I love. I love Darlington, I love the market, the businesses, my job, but most of all I love the people.”

Robin’s family has had a fruit and vegetable stall at the covered market for nearly 140 years. Previously named JH Blair and Sons after his great-grandfather, Joseph Henry Blair, the business has stood the test of time and become one of the longest-running in the Covered Market.

The stall is now named JJ Blair and Sons after his father, John Joseph Blair.

“We go back a long way,” says Robin. “We are the fourth generation on the market stall and I run it with my brother Keith.

He does more of the growing, I do the retail and selling bit.”

Robin’s first taste of the market was in 1945. He was only three months old when his parents started to bring him down and leave him in his carrycot under the stall.

While at Haughton Primary School, he was roped into working as a Saturday boy and remembers being given his first pair of khaki overalls to wear at work when he was nine. “I thought I was the bees knees,” he says.

After leaving school, at the age of 15, Robin chose to work full time on the stall – a decision which, at the time, was tough to make. “I wasn’t sure whether I wanted to work on the stall and take on more responsibility,”

he says. “I didn’t know what I wanted to do in life, but my parents were struggling so I agreed to take it on, and I don’t regret it one bit.”

The family still grow their own produce at their nursery in Barmpton Lane, Darlington, the same way they have done since setting up their stall all those years ago.

However, it was a lot different when he started out. “We had to transport all our produce to the market in a horse and cart, three days a week,” says Robin. “Our horse was called Bobby and he was a big Clydesdale.

When we got to the market, he wouldn’t stand still until my grandfather got him an ice cream from the ice cream stall.”

Produce sold on the Blairs’ stall has also undergone huge changes. “We didn’t used to have all these exotic vegetables, like broccoli,” he laughs.

“I remember when we first got it in, it was called Calabrese, and it took us a whole week to sell a box. Now it is accepted as an everyday vegetable. It just shows that you have to keep up with the times and keep adapting to changes.”

FOR Robin, the Covered Market isn’t just a job or place where people go to buy produce, but a vital part of Darlington that should be preserved for generations to come. It was his dedication to the town and its traders that saw him win the Darlington Citizen of the Year Award back in 2009.

“I remember sitting there hearing Northern Echo editor Peter Barron talking about someone with the best satsumas in town, and thinking, ‘That’s me he’s talking about’. It was so unexpected and to this day I am still so grateful for even being considered for the award,” he says.

Robin’s enthusiasm for the market shows no signs of stopping, and despite the difficult economic climate he remains optimistic.

“The market used to be the centre of Darlington,” he says. “If you wanted to buy food you would go to the market, but now a lot of people go to supermarkets instead.

“We are going through some tough times, but I am sure the market will be here for many more years to come.”