City centre retailers share in success of new market

The crowds at the inaugural Hull Trinity Farmers’ Market.

CITY centre businesses hailed the success of the new Hull Trinity Farmers’ Market as crowds flocked to the event on a day of selling out and repeated re-stocking.

Stallholders at the market itself confirmed they will be back as HullBID plans four more markets later this year. Businesses with a permanent presence in Trinity Indoor Market told how they shared in the benefits, recording one of their busiest days of the year.

Retailers elsewhere in the city centre also reported a business buzz from the market on Saturday 26 May, and with Hull Street Food Nights ready to return next week HullBID City Centre Manager Kathryn Shillito pointed to clear evidence that events enhance footfall.

Kathryn said: “Looking at the figures, Whitefriargate has recorded the second highest footfall count since the start of the year, beaten only by the early May bank holiday. Businesses in Whitefriargate said their stores were busier, the indoor market stallholders said the same and some of the stallholders ran out of things to sell.”

Emily Taylor of Johnston’s Butchers in Carr Lane, Hull, regularly takes a stall at the Yum! Festival of Food and Drink and said the market was another success, making a big difference to footfall in the city centre and keeping staff based at their shop busy with delivering fresh supplies several times during the day.

Chris Harrison, who operates the Shoot the Bull restaurant and Riverhouse Coffee Co in Scale Lane, Hull, as well as a stall in the revamped indoor market, also reported a busy day, with extra stocks of bread, brownies and other treats delivered from the company’s sites in the city centre.

Anna Beaumont, who opened Cone Queen in the indoor market in December, enjoyed one of her busiest days with customers snapping up pizza cones, potato and sweet potato chips and her new range of slush and ice cream.

She said: “An event like this makes a huge difference to footfall and helps us let more people know that we’re here. We’re also open for the Hull Street Food Nights and we’re in the process of renovating a horsebox so we can do outdoor events including Yum.”

Non-food businesses also thrived, with staff from Dove House Hospice looking forward to future market dates after a fun day of fund raising.

Suzanne Close, Community Lottery Advisor at Dove House Hospice, said: “When I saw this I thought it was a great idea and we should give it a whirl. It’s been perfect in every way. The atmosphere has been brilliant. Everybody has been kind and caring, people turning up with smiley faces and spending money!

“It’s nice to see some more life in the city centre and to get that continental feel. The weather has been perfect as well – not too hot. It’s been a pleasure to be here. We will do it again.”

Members of the HullBID board, which comprises representatives of large and small city centre businesses, welcomed the feedback as they met this week and heard that plans are progressing well for a busy summer of events.

They also applauded the HullBID team for its success in claiming the Outstanding Contribution to Food and Drink prize for Hull Street Food Nights and Yum! Festival in the Hull Daily Mail Food and Drink Awards. In March the Street Food Nights also earned HullBID a Remarkable East Yorkshire Tourism Award (REYTA) for Remarkable Small Tourism Event.

Kathryn said: “The awards are a bonus for us and amount to deserved recognition for our small team which works hard to deliver fantastic events on top of the rest of the work which we undertake to make the city centre a safe and enjoyable place to live, work and visit.

“Our aims this year are to establish Hull Trinity Farmers’ Market and to make Hull Street Food Nights even better, and we have also decided to extend the Yum! Festival to three days. We are drawing on our experience of organising many events over the years to make sure the Hull Trinity Farmers’ Market builds on the success.”

Future dates for Hull Trinity Farmers’ Market are Saturday 30 June, Saturday 28 July, Saturday 25 August and Saturday 29 September. Each event will take place from 11am until 4pm.

Hull Street Food Nights will continue in Zebedee’s Yard and Princes Dock Street on Thursday 7 June, Thursday 12 July, Thursday 2 August and Thursday 6 September.

The Yum! Festival of Food and Drink will this year be extended to three days and will take place in the Rosebowl and Queens Gardens from Friday 10 August until Sunday 12 August.

For further details of Hull Street Food Nights, Hull Farmers’ Market and the Yum! Festival please visit www.hullbid.co.uk