Sunday, November 24, 2013

Farmers Market demonstrates the potential?


The space created by the demolition of the old Community Centre was used to good effect on Saturday by the Farmers Market. Shoppers could be seen making their way from the High Street down the lanes to the market and then across to the Craft Fair in the new Community Centre and vice versa. 

Nearby the old Social Work buildings await a new future depending on the outcome of negotiations between NICE and the Highland Council.  Imagine that building back in use with a mixture of community and business users and then perhaps the car park areas revamped (wasn't some stone kept for this?) and maybe  some trees planted too. According to one of the traders that had a stall on the market on Saturday there is now talk of four more markets a year. That would be a good start but surely the ideal must be to aim for a weekly market? Some of the  thousands of drivers that pass through Nairn would soon get the idea and perhaps stop to spend some cash  in the market and in the High Street and beyond. 

As the future of  business on the High Street continues to face great challenges and some shops go under we have to think of ways of putting of bringing more people to our town centre. The switching on of the Christmas Lights in Nairn recently showed how that was possible. That was an evening event however and perhaps there are lessons to be learned for that event and any other potential ones from the way Buckie made a whole day of their Christmas Lights ceremony - Images here Buckie Christmas Kracker. As mentioned in a post below it also coincided with a home defeat for Buckie Thistle by Nairn County FC and the resultant fireworks display at five o'clock was well received by ebullient County fans as they made their way back to their transport in the streets surrounding Victoria Park. 

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Simple things like this could save the High Street, also making it pedestrian only and holding the Farmers Markets/Christmas Markets/Spring Fling/Summer Fate/Craft Fairs/Autumn Festival etc on it would create a great hustle and bustle.

Anonymous said...

Totally agree this is important for Nairn. Enjoyed the market and the produce on show. One constructive comment though would be to improve the small hand written sign on a piece of cardboard on the A96 indicating where the farmers market was. This could be a bit more professional I think!

Anonymous said...

High Street,
also making it pedestrian only cant park want shop this is already the case. reduce the parking and reduce the people on the High street . the modern way i am afraid is not to walk if you cant park at the shop don't stop and go to the supper market plenty of parking there.

Anonymous said...

I always go to the supper market for my supper. A fish supper is my favourite what's yours?

Anonymous said...

It would be good if the stalls were all local. Is Ullapool local, I don't think so. Take care of our own first!!!!! On seeing this I decided to spend my money in our local shops on the High Street.

Anonymous said...

Just watch as to where you shop on the High St then Anon 1:52

Macleans the bakers are from... Forres

M&Co I think are from Paisley

then there's Superdrug, Co-op, and Boots to name but a few from out of town

Anonymous said...

Anonymous are you saying don't shop in our local high street, I thought this was the whole point, to save it. If so you probably missed both the butchers, which would leave us with no butcher at all??? After all it is local people that gain jobs from these shops!!!!! Food for thought or in your case maybe not.

Anonymous said...

Vegan so always miss all two of the butchers. Food for thought?