Fine food, music and vintage furniture - meet Peterborough City Market's new traders

New professional ironing and cake stalls have also started at the market with traders including a DJ and former member of the Thomas Cook finance team.

The new traders have been lured by the offer of free stalls for the whole of April by Peterborough City Council.

At the end of the month traders at the five new stalls will be given the option to extend their lease for a further eight weeks with a 20 per cent discount on rent.

The free rent offer is an attempt by the council to increase the market’s popularity among shoppers.

For years debate has been raging about the market’s future with stallholders even championing a return to Cathedral Square.

Steve Woolley, markets officer at the council, said: “We’re really keen to support local businesses, and offering this free trial can be the leg-up that they need.

“We trialled this approach in December last year and it was really successful - attracting new customers to the market as well as driving good business for the stalls. We wish these five new stallholders the best of luck!”

The new stalls are:

Here We Aren’t: The Merch Table - run by Barry Walker, a gigging musician and DJ who runs Peterborough record label Here We Aren’t.

Barry said: “In 2007 I started to release music for friends and other bands. I came to realise that there are so few opportunities for artists to put their music and merchandise in front of people. With this stall I think I’ve found the solution.”

Barry is also looking for visual artists, writers and craftspeople who wish to sell their artwork to local people. His Facebook site is @herewearent.

Iron Out Professional Ironing & Steam Cleaning - Odelle Walsh offers ironing services and steam cleaning of mats, rugs, pet bedding, pet cages and more.

Odelle said: “The other services I provide include office and home cleaning, PAT Testing, EICR, emergency light testing, gas catering inspection, thermal imaging and more. You can find us on Facebook as @facser.”

Notfoundinthesupermarket - A new venture for Shaun Taylor, who recently left Thomas Cook’s finance team to explore his passion for fine food.

The stall stocks artisan and fine foods not generally found in the supermarket such as artisan crisps, crackers, chocolate and drinks, plus unusual food ingredients such as liquid smoke, meze jars, pate, meal kits, flavoured olive oils as well as generally hard to find ingredients.

Shaun also stocks a tea grown in the UK, snack items such as pork crackle by Tom Kerridge and a black truffle in a jar also on sale in Selfridges.

He also sells a 5kg Himalayan rock salt cooking block.

Victoria’s Sponge House - a well established cake business run by Vicky Thompson-Chambers from Eye. The stall is a new venture for Vicky, selling cupcakes and treats two days a week.

KI Solutions – Louise Stevens and Kieran Imlah sell vintage furniture and appliances. Their business began last year as a removals and storage company and has now expanded to offer pre-loved items for sale at their stall.

The city market offers a 3m by 3m retail space from just £100 per week.

Stallholders benefit from a full marketing strategy, website and Facebook page driven by Peterborough City Council, promoting traders’ special offers and promotions.

The market’s opening hours are 8.30am to 4pm, Tuesday to Saturday.

For more information call the city market office on 01733 454454 or email [email protected].

Alternatively, visit www.peterborough.gov.uk/citymarket or www.peterborough-market.org.