First market to be held in town as Thurso Community Development Trust urges people to shop local
People are being encouraged to shop locally as Thurso Community Development Trust holds its first outdoor market in the town on Saturday.
The Thurso Town Market will be held on two Saturdays each month, with dates already set for July and August.
Organisers say that if the events are successful in bringing people into the town to support local businesses, they will continue later in the year.
Development officer Lindsay Morrison said: “We are very excited to be holding this first market. As well as providing local sellers with an additional avenue to sell their creations, the outdoor market will also give shoppers a safe, outdoor space to browse locally made items and gifts.”
This Saturday the market – held at Olrig Street Gardens, more commonly known as the Tennis Courts, from 11am to 3pm – will host a variety of crafters, focusing on handmade local items such as vases, greetings cards, jewellery and knitwear.
The trust says that the stalls exemplify local craftsmanship in Thurso and allows it to support local businesses both at the market and in the town centre.
The trust has been running the Love Local, Love Thurso campaign for several months and the new town market supports this campaign in giving local crafters, as well as food and drink producers, an opportunity to sell directly into the town.
Helen Allan, chairperson of the trust, said: “We’re delighted to be able to offer our many crafters and home businesses the opportunity to hold stands as this has been missing for many months due to Covid-19 restrictions.
"Town markets are proven to increase footfall in a town centre so we hope it will entice many people in Thurso down into town to shop in the market, in our local shops and also to eat out in our splendid cafés and restaurants.”
The trust is encouraging those who visit the Town Market to shop and eat in the town as well by offering the Love Local, Love Thurso prize draw.
Lindsay explained: “The market is an opportunity to increase footfall in the town, but we also want to encourage this, so for every £20 or more spent in one of our independent shops, cafés or restaurants on the days of the market, people can submit their receipts to prove the spend and be entered into a prize draw to win £100 of Love Thurso Vouchers.”
The trust website, www.thursocdt.co.uk, will be open to entries to the prize draw from Saturday and the lucky winner will be announced following the final market in this series on Saturday, August 21.
Thurso Community Development Trust has secured funding for this market, specifically for a new marquee and 10 ‘pop up’ market stands, from the Highland Council Town Centre Fund.