Market Drayton floating market pulls in crowds to canal
An annual floating market saw hundreds of people take in canal-side trading in Market Drayton,
The Roving Canal Traders Association (RCTA) came to the town with 13 trader boats, the biggest trading fleet the town has seen, for a weekend of fun in the sun.
Organisers said the total footfall across Saturday and Sunday was easily as much as 1,000, with a pizza boat, a ‘Barge-Inn Booze’ and several unique craft boats catering for those of all ages.
On Sunday, many who had run or watched the Market Drayton 10K walked the short distance from the field at the Grove School to the floating market by bridge 63 of the Shropshire Union Canal.
It is the third time in three years the boats came to the town, and it has grown every year.
Sue Meades, a volunteer with the RCTA, runs the Mugs Afloat store with her partner Colin and said: “It has got better and better.
“It went really well. We were a bit worried with the 10k that the market might get sidelined or forgotten about but they were great, they worked with us and they put an announcement out over the loud-speakers about the market.
“It was busy and well-supported by the locals and that’s why we built it up this year.”
Some of the new additions were the pizza boat and booze boat, both of which saw steady trade throughout the weekend.
Sue continued: “The traders all love talking with each other, they’re a good crowd.
“The one thing all the traders said was that the comments from the local people were lovely, they said how lovely it was to see the whole town filled with boats between the two bridges.”
Many of the boats had set off in convoy for their next function by Monday afternoon, though some remained docked in Market Drayton to soak up more sun.
Sue said: “The weather always plays a part, if the weather is good then people come out.
“There’s nothing you can do about it, you just have to hope for the best.”
