Awards day approaches for Shrewsbury Market Hall

Shrewsbury market traders at Shrewsbury Market Hall will find out whether they have scooped a major national accolade when the winners of The Great British Market Awards are announced later this week.

Shrewsbury Market Hall, which is jointly run by Shropshire Council and Shrewsbury Town Council, is one of six UK finalists shortlisted for the coveted title of ‘Britain’s Favourite Market’.

All will be revealed at the National Association of British Market Authorities (NAMBA) One Day Conference, in Birmingham, on Thursday 25 January 2018, when the winners of the annual Great British Market Awards are named.

Shrewsbury is competing for the Britain’s Favourite Market title against five other finalists. These are markets in Barrow-in-Furness, Cambridge, Leeds Kirkgate, Norwich and Skipton. All were shortlisted in a public vote.

People enjoying the Market Hall in Shrewsbury

Shrewsbury Market Hall may also have a chance of winning one of two other national awards for Best Large Indoor Market or Best Market Attraction.

Kate Gittins, Shropshire Council’s facilities manager, said:-

“Excitement is building and all fingers are crossed! We’ve given it our best shot.

“Britain’s Favourite Market is the award we would most like to win because it’s the award voted for by the public. Win or lose, it has been a fantastic year for Shrewsbury Market Hall and we’ve enjoyed the experience of taking part in these awards.”

The first stage of Britain’s Favourite Market competition involved a public vote that opened at the beginning of October and closed at midnight on 30 November. The top six markets attracting the most votes were then shortlisted for the second round of the competition, which involved visits by both judges and a mystery shopper.

Helen Ball, clerk of Shrewsbury Town Council, said:

“We were delighted that Shrewsbury Market Hall made the top six in the Britain’s Favourite Market vote and it was a pleasure showing the judging panel around when they visited the market before Christmas.

“The fact that so many people voted for Shrewsbury shows that, locally, people love what the Market Hall has to offer and we keep our fingers crossed for the announcement of the winner this Thursday.”

Shrewsbury Market Hall has nearly 70 pitches. Its popularity has boomed in recent years. This was given a further boost last year when it began opening for regular Saturday night events that attracted crowds of up to 1,700 people during the course of an evening.

Kate Gittins, Helen Ball and Seb Slater, Executive Director of Shrewsbury Business Improvement District, have been invited to deliver a talk to the NABMA conference about the Market Hall and partnership working.

About the Market Hall: 

The Market Hall is a two-tier, indoor market hall situated in the heart of Shrewsbury town centre.

It is jointly run by Shropshire Council, which is responsible for the permanent stalls located around the perimeter of the market floor and gallery, and Shrewsbury Town Council, which manages the canopied stalls in the centre.

The Market Hall is situated above a range of well-known high street and independent retailers. Busy trading streets, Shoplatch and Claremont Street, run either side of the building.

It opened in 1965 and is today home to many traders offering a selection of fresh fruit and vegetables, meat and poultry, fresh fish, delicatessen, a selection of eateries, books, china, antiques, collectables and contemporary arts and crafts and much more.

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