Oswestry Market in running for national award

Members of the public are being asked to vote for their favourite market from a shortlist of 58 with the winner due to be announced at the end of January at the National Association of British Market Authorities' annual conference.

The winners of 12 more awards will also be announced, including best small and large indoor markets, best small and large community markets, best market attraction, best wholesale market and best food market.

As well as the overall award Oswestry is in the running for the best speciality market for the street market that formed part of the Christmas live celebrations.

While most of the awards will be judged by a panel of industry experts, the nation's favourite market will be chosen by the voting public.

Mrs Carole Jones travels to Oswestry from Nesscliffe at least once a fortnight to visit the Bailey Head outdoor market and the Powis Hall indoor market.

"Oswestry is such a good market," she said. "I come here for the fruit and veg, for the meat and for all kinds of things like cards and presents.

"My husband loves home cured bacon and it is half the price here than in other places."

Retired couple, David and Eirlys Lewis from Oswestry said a trip to the market was as much a social trip as a shopping expedition.

"We come once or twice a week to have a look around and we always meet up with someone we know," Mr Lewis said.

For 85-year-old Margaret Owens from Oswestry shopping locally is important.

As she bought her loaf from Radfords fine foods she said: "I like Smiths bread which is sold here and made at a bakery in Oswestry. I like to buy local meat and vegetables that are grown locally. It is important to support local producers and local traders."

Stephen Radford said that he had very loyal supporters that shopped at his stall.

"We do offer a very wide cheese range, our own sausages and bacon, Treflach pies and Smiths bread baked in Oswestry as well as other produce which we source as locally as we can."

Many stallholders said that operating a stall was the only way they could afford to start their business.

Shelley Carnell said running her handbags and accessories stall on the three days the indoor market is open meant she could still have another job to ensure she could get the business up and running.

Andrea Lewis, who runs KidzClobba with Sarah Allen has also taken on another stall from which she runs another business, The Ironing Lady.

"We realised that Oswestry needed somewhere that sold children's clothes and so started KidzClobba," she said. "Then I launched The Ironing Lady. People bring along there ironing one day and pick it up another. Its a godsend for busy people knowing that someone else is doing their ironing.

"The market is great, it is like one big happy family. Its a lovely place in which to be based."

To vote, visit www.facebook.com/loveyourlocalmarket