Guildford Farmers’ Market Still Going Strong After 19 Years

Published on: 6 Mar, 2019
Updated on: 7 Mar, 2019

by Hugh Coakley

Guildford Farmers’ Market is in its 19th year and is still going strong. And with up to 60 stalls and the range of fresh, local produce available, it’s easy to see why.

Farmers’ Market stalls looking very appropriate in Guildford High Street.

From butchers to bakers, mushrooms to burgers, cheesemongers to preserves, it is all there in the High Street on the first Tuesday of each month.

With pressure on retailers in the town centre and footfall down by 7% on last year, the farmers’ market looks to be providing a welcome boost by attracting people into town.

One couple from Dorking told The Guildford Dragon NEWS: “We come into Guildford specifically for the farmers’ market.”

Ben Darnton, of Ben’s Collectors Records in Tunsgate, said: “I notice an increase in the number of people in town on farmers’ market days and it’s a nice, relaxed atmosphere.”

The women setting up the Surrey Country Markets stall have an average age of 76 years and produce a lovely range of cakes and preserves.

Many of the stallholders have been coming to the Guildford market each month for the last 19 years and their loyalty to it testifies to its success.

Janet Morley, market manager for Country Markets, the co-operative social enterprise firm, said: “We’re in our 19th year here. All of our produce is homemade. We love the Guildford market as it is so friendly. We get people from all over the world coming here.”

Georgina Emerson at the Hunts Hill Farm stall selling free range meat and poultry.

She wasn’t the only one to be pleased with the foreign visitors. Georgina Emerson of Hunts Hill Farm in Normandy said that she had been approached by Japanese visitors to take part in a documentary about the market.

Neil and Michaela Allam, Norbury Park Farm Cheese Co. Ltd, said that they have been coming to the market “on and off for 19 years.” As the only cheesemaker in Surrey, they said the Guildford market was good for them.

The editor of The Guildford Dragon NEWS, Martin Giles, samples the Norbury Park Farm cheeses with farmer Neil Allam behind the stall.

There were 50 stalls at the market on Tuesday, March 5 and on a clear but cold day, it was a pleasure to walk around the stalls and chat with the stallholders. They are all very keen to tell you about their goods and about the market and that is part of the fun.

James Halfhide of Imbhams Farm Granary, talked proudly about his stoneground flour, “All wholemeal” he said. He thought that the Guildford market was one of the most consistent of all the markets that he attended. He said: “It’s good that it is a weekday market. You get the office workers, residents and the visitors to the town all buying.”

Some traders said that takings had gone down by 30% when the market had temporarily been moved while the granite setts were re-laid in the High Street but that things were looking up. “It could do with a bit more publicity,” said one trader.

Fresh vegetables, grown in Alton, at Guildford’s Farmers’ Market with stallholder Vladamir Mirov.

The market is FARMA accredited. This sets guidelines for the producer being based within a 50-mile catchment area from Guildford. “But we do have some discretion,” said Diana Parker, Guildford Borough Council’s market manager, pointing to the stall selling olives.

She said that she was really passionate about the market and added: “We have a really great bunch of people working here. We can have up to 60 stalls at the market.”

Cllr David Bilbe, Guildford Borough Council’s lead councillor for enterprise and economic development, was interviewed by The Guildford Dragon NEWS about the market and the town centre business in general. In the interview, Cllr Bilbe talked about the success of the farmers’ market, how Guildford Borough Council was encouraging enterprise in the town and touched on the council’s limitations in setting business rates.

And two hours before the market closed, a ‘Sold Out’ sign appeared on Jakes Artisan Foods pork pie stall which said it all – a successful day at the market.