Page 14 - Market Times October 2024

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FEATURE • SCARBOROUGH MARKET HALL
Brian Cole is a specialist bookbinder who runs his business from a unit on the market's mezzanine floor
The Hairy Bikers, Si King and the late Dave Myers, visited Scarborough Market Hall for their popular TV series
market.
“They want some interest,
something to entertain them as well,” Penny said.
When she took over her new role her brief was to bring more traders into the market and to stage events.
She worked up a wish list of lines she wanted including fish, flowers, baby clothes and a hairdresser, as well as artisan businesses for the mezzanine floor.
Her proactive approach brought these into the market, although as with all markets there are comings and goings, so Penny is still looking for flowers and services such as a hairdresser.
And she has delivered on the events front. As well as things like craft fairs held on the mezzanine floor and children’s events, the market is now well known for music gigs.
Toyah and East 17 have performed there. After the stalls shut up shop, the team remove the seating and bring in a stage.
Shaun Holmes, who runs the main deli, cafe and cocktail bar, has taken over the organising of the music events, with Penny in a supporting role.
These days they tend to book tribute bands rather than the real
thing. As well as adding to the list of attractions in the seaside town, the music events bring new people into the market and the hope is that they will return to see what the market is like in the daytime.
“Getting people into the market is the main thing,” said Penny. “We have a really good market with the best quality food you could want, a fabulous deli and cafes and lots of artisan and craft businesses that you don’t find in most town centres,” she said.
Penny describes the traders as her market family.
She has joined forces with Scarborough’s hospitality sector and plugged the market at student events, which has led to more students and tourists visiting.
And small things like encouraging traders to put up fairy lights to decorate their stalls, and opening umbrellas covered with the lights that can be seen through the mezzanine windows all help.
“People see that something is going on and come into the building to have a look,” Penny said.
The traders say they do well on Scarborough Market and love the friendly atmosphere and companionship.
They range from stalwart traders like the fish, meat and fruit and
veg businesses to unusual market lines such as bookbinding and coin collectibles.
Brian Cole runs The Castle Bindery on the mezzanine floor where he skilfully restores and binds old books.
An industrial chemist by profession, he tired of working in factories and trained in bookbinding, working for Leeds Library for a good few years.
When he and his wife moved to Scarborough, he initially worked from home but then opted for a market unit because it was inexpensive with a community feel.
“It is a niche thing and I have a lot of regular customers,” Brian said.
Julie Henderson has been selling her artwork on the market since 2017. She works in a supermarket bakery before heading to her business, Bijou Creations, in the upstairs crafty section of the market.
“I love drawing and my artwork is Scarborough- themed,” she said. “I have expanded to sell cards. I just love this space and the market.”
In the Vaults there are more arty, crafty businesses, another café, a fabric shop and a collectibles business run by Jan Boylen who
sells coins, bank notes, stamps, music media and comics.
“I have been a collector since I was at school,” Jan said. A coin dealer, he moved into the Vaults in 2015 and has plenty of regular customers including collectors who travel some distance to buy from him.
His items can sell for a tidy sum. “The most expensive thing I ever sold was a 1929 proof set of coins in top condition which a customer paid £700 for,” he said.
On the ground floor, Mark Nockels is the longest serving trader, having clocked up 47 years on the butchers stall his grandfather started on the market 105 years ago.
“To be honest we have always done well on this market,” Mark said. “These days we also sell meat to pubs and restaurants. Our customers know they are getting the finest quality local meat and to be honest we gained a lot of new customers though Covid,” he said.
“People started coming to the market for their food shop and they have stayed with us. Not all of them, but a fair number,” he said.
Jeffrey Johns is also a fan of Scarborough market hall where he has an ever-increasing number of businesses.