Page 20 - Market Times October 2024

20 FEATURE • MOLD
Nick White runs a standout stall on Mold outdoor market selling cheese, pies and meat
Graham Lynch is pictured with his assistant Clare Owens on the fashion stall they run on the market
funded by one of the Government’s Leveling Up programmes.
The brief was to boost the market and John took to the task like a duck to water, ably supported by Peter who has kept the market vibrant while many similar ones have fallen by the wayside.
Establishing exactly why Mold market has fared so well is hard to say. “We are very lucky in Mold,” Peter said. “We have such a variety of independent shops and cafes. There are hardly any empty units.”
As one trader pointed out, Mold has kept its banks. Graham Lynch, who sells fashion on the market, said: “We still have all the banks, and that brings people into town.”
Peter and his predecessor have built staunch relations with the traders over many years, and Mold is a strong community that adores its charter market, and keeps the indoor traders busy too.
It is a gateway to North Wales, with
tourist attractions close by and coaches visiting Mold, mainly on Wednesdays. “It is true that the market used to be
bigger,” Peter said. It has up to 70 traders including 16 in the indoor market which is open six days a week.
Most of the traders bring their own stalls but John has invested in 10 new gazebos to encourage more people to try their luck at market trading.
Mold staged three successful heats of the NMTF’s Young Traders Market initiative which aims to support entrepreneurship and encourage young people to start their journey on a market stall.
He has also organised themed market events including one to mark D-Day, and brought children’s activities and entertainment on to the market.
“One of the main things is to reach out to the community and find opportunities for the market to support local people and causes,” he said.
Initiatives include a free school uniform stall, stalls taken by local charities and a free children’s activities stall.
The traders appreciate the efforts that have been put in to support the market and are generally positive about the future.
Among the most enthusiastic is Nick White, who has run a standout cheese, fresh pies and meat stall on the market for the past 40 years.
Nick started working on the market at 12 as a Saturday lad. As soon as he left school he started up a cheese stall.
Now his market business is phenomenal, selling more than 50 different cheeses, mouthwatering pies and fresh local meat.
“I have queues at the stall from seven in the morning to three in the afternoon,” Nick said. “For my business it is all about the quality of the products at the best prices and being nice to customers. I would say Mold is a fantastic market. It’s just run properly. The council love it.