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Above: Market organiser Anton Burton is shown in the centre, with Town Team Chair, Jan McTaggart on the left, and stallholder Steve on the right

Wanted: cherubs, socks, pet food and punters!

Meet the market organiser for St Leonards Marketplace, Anton Burton, shown in the centre of the photo above. Last year, Anton ran three successful markets for St Leonards’ Town Team – one on the day of St Leonards Festival along Kings Road, and two pre-Christmas markets in Crystal Square car park. This year, the first of our regular weekly markets will be on Saturday 19 April – Easter Saturday – in Crystal Square car park. Each week there will be themed entertainment, thanks to a Community First grant. HOT’s Erica Smith wanted to know what Anton has lined up for us when the market re-opens this Spring.

Les Derniere Troubadours from France at the December market last year

When asked about the entertainments, Anton said: “On Easter Saturday we will have a petting zoo for children and we’re planning an Easter Egg hunt around the local shops and traders. We also want to have dance and exercise displays from local groups like Egyptian Dancers and a Bokwa flash mob! There is a garden-theme for Saturday 26 April, and we’re looking for someone with a Celtic Harp who is happy to be a cherub for the day!” If you are in a local dancer or entertainments group, or can play the Celtic Harp or musical saw, then please get in touch with Anton!

“We’ve got some great stallholders on board already – including Jempsons, the Community Fruit & Veg project, some delicious artisan chocolates and tasty street food including Harold’s Hog Roast stall.” Anton wants to make sure there is a good range of household items and produce available, and there are still some gaps in the market – he says “There’s nowhere in St Leonards to buy socks or knickers, so a stall selling those would do really well. And there’s nowhere to buy petfood. If you’d like to run a stall selling these items, or have your own great ideas, then get in touch. I’d love to hear from you.”

The Community Fruit and Veg Stall

The markets so far have proved popular, and the Town Team has supported Anton because it sees having a local market as one of the plus points of a thriving High Street. Town Team Chair, Jan McTaggart said: “A weekly Saturday market will create a new community focus for St Leonards and encourage footfall to shops in our Town Centre.”

The photographs shown here are from the two pre-Christmas markets. Thanks to the efforts of the St Leonards Business Association, the Town Team and the marketholders, the streets of St Leonards were thronging with shoppers and crowds enjoying the Snow Queen’s parade and the Medieval Troubadours.

Stallholders need to have their licences in place by 25 March, so don’t leave it too late to be part of the Spring market. If you are interested in running a stall at the market, you can email Anton Burton at: stleonardsmarket@live.co.uk or call him on 07927 568319.

On Saturday 30 November last year, the streets of St Leonards were thronged with crowds waiting for the Snow Queen to appear in her impressive horse and cart.

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Posted 21:50 Monday, Mar 3, 2014 In: Food & Drink

Also in: Food & Drink

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