Hailsham Town Council is looking forward to welcoming residents, visitors and traders to the first Hailsham Street Market in its returning home of Vicarage Field, marking the start of a new chapter for one of the town’s popular community events.
The market will take place on Friday 31 July, from 9.30am to 1.30pm, and from then on will be held in Vicarage Field on the last Friday of each month throughout the market season, which runs from March to September.
The return to the heart of the town centre follows a successful trial period at Blackman’s Yard and reflects the clear preference expressed by traders, shoppers and local residents for the market to return to its traditional location.
The Town Council is encouraging residents to come along, browse the wide range of stalls and support independent businesses, while also inviting new traders to book pitches and become part of a growing community market that celebrates local enterprise.
Visitors to the first market can look forward to an excellent selection of stalls, including:
Tony Lee, Operations and Facilities Manager at Hailsham Town Council, said: “We’re delighted to be bringing Hailsham Street Market back to Vicarage Field. The market has always been an important part of the town centre, creating a welcoming atmosphere while providing valuable opportunities for local businesses and independent traders to showcase their products.”
“We’re encouraged by the strong interest we’ve already received from stallholders and hope residents and visitors will come along to support what promises to be a fantastic first market back in its original location.”
The decision to return the market to Vicarage Field follows a review of the trial events held at Blackman’s Yard during the autumn and earlier this year. While the trial markets were well supported and provided valuable operational experience, feedback consistently highlighted the advantages of Vicarage Field, including its central location, greater visibility and higher levels of passing footfall.
By relocating the market back to the town centre, the Council aims to create an even stronger shopping destination that benefits traders, attracts visitors and complements the wider High Street economy.
Councillor Anne Marie Ricketts, a member of the Town Council’s Communities Committee, said: “The Blackman’s Yard trials were extremely worthwhile and gave us the opportunity to explore different ways of delivering the market. We are grateful to everyone who supported those events and shared their feedback.”
“The message from traders, shoppers and residents was clear – Vicarage Field remains the ideal location for the market. It is easily accessible, highly visible and provides a welcoming space right in the centre of town. We’re delighted to see the market returning and hope it will continue to grow and become an increasingly popular feature of Hailsham’s town centre.”
Hailsham Street Market will continue to offer a varied mix of artisan food, fresh produce, handmade gifts, crafts, homeware and speciality products, giving shoppers the opportunity to discover unique local businesses while supporting the town’s independent trading community.
For further information, please contact Hailsham Town Council on 01323 841702 or email markets@hailsham-tc.gov.uk.
Terry Hall, COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER
Hailsham Town Council, Market Street, Hailsham, East Sussex, BN27 2AE
Telephone: 01323 841702 | Email: terry.hall@hailsham-tc.gov.uk