Calderdale markets have made a mark

Markets were busy at the World Dock Pudding Championships at Mytholmroyd Community Centre

The council’s markets team won the National Association of British Market Authorities (NABMA) Team of the Year award.

And after reflecting on the past 12 months, it is well deserved.

Despite a rough start to 2016 following the Boxing Day floods, in January Hebden Bridge Market was awarded NABMA’s Small British Open Market of the Year award. Judges were impressed with both its provision of food and locally sourced goods and its occupancy rates.

This year the council’s markets team has introduced a number of new markets to the borough.

Halifax International Market ran in the town for the first time this year and featured more than 70 stalls and attracted plenty of visitors.

The Love Your Local Market fortnight was another new event, and the All About Elland event hosted a 30 stall market in the town centre.

There were also lots of special markets throughout Spring and Summer, including the Dock Pudding Festival in Mytholmroyd and the Brighouse Spring Market.

Calderdale Council’s cabinet member for regeneration and economic development, Coun Barry Collins, was very pleased. “What a year it’s been for markets in Calderdale,” he said.

“We’ve had some fantastic events both old and new, and some really well deserved national recognition.

“The latest NABMA Team of the Year award is really quite something.

“We continue to invest in our markets, and a range of activity is currently being progressed, with repairs at Halifax Borough Market and to the roof at Todmorden Market, plus the upcoming relocation of Hebden Bridge Market.

“The future really is bright for Calderdale markets. Here’s to an even more successful 2017!”

With Christmas fast approaching, there are plenty of markets still to come in Calderdale, which will all be open until Christmas Eve.

There will be local produce markets in Halifax on Saturdays from tomorrow (November 26), Hebden Bridge Local Produce Market will run on Sundays from November 27 to December 18, and Sowerby Bridge is hosting a Totally Locally Market on Sunday, December 4.

The markets team is also assisting at Brighouse Victorian market this weekend (November 26 and 27), Mytholmroyd Christmas Market tomorrow (Saturday), as well as at the Ripponden Festival and the Queens Road Christmas Bazaar, both on Saturday, December 3.

For more details, visit www.calderdale.gov.uk/markets.