As we start 2021 we find ourselves in the third lockdown within a year which is likely to affect the way we all lead our lives at the moment.  The Government guidance allows essential food market stalls to continue so Hexham Farmers’ Market will continue with its exisiting measures which minimise the risk of COVID transmission:

• Keep 2m distance between yourself, other customers and producers
• Sanitise your hands frequently
• Paid contactless if possible
• Wear a face covering if possible

With this lockdown we are being aksed to stay at home unless the journey is essential, so we would ask you also to:

• Shop alone if you can
• Not gather in groups or spend time chatting to friends
• Order in advance if you can

Not all our producers can  handle pre-orders but those who do will be added to the list below:

• Slackhouse Farm- Dairy from this list. Please pre-order by Thursday evening by emailing slackhouseorganicfarm (at) gmail.com
• Northumbria Preserves- Jams and chutneys. Order by emailing Brian on northumbriapreserves (at) gmail.com or by ringing him on 07903 321774
• Hallsford Farm Produce- Beef, lamb, sausages etc. For range and orders see their website or ring 01228 577329
• Ravensworth Grange- Middle White pork. Ring Ann on 07531 160935 or by email on annandhughie (at) gmail.com

Hexham Abbey recently received the brilliant news that they’d been awarded a substantial grant to start resoration work on the Abbey roof. We understand from the Abbey staff that the vergers know exactly where to put the buckets when it rains and this work is expected to make the roof entirely watertight again.

While this is excellent news for Hexham Abbey it does mean that we will no longer be able to use the area on the North side of the Abbey along the footpath to The Sele.  As usual the Abbey have been extremely helpful and we will continue to use the area in front of the Abbey and along Beaumont Street next to the Christmas Tree.  For one of the markets in December we hope to be able to use the Abbey car park or the Quadrant.

The work on Hexham Abbey is expected until Easter 2021.

England went back into a second lockdown in early November with non-essential shops and hospitality required to close.  Fortunately farmers’ markets are exempt from the restrictions but the regulations do affect some of our producers with only food producers allowed to trade.  Sadly Durham Soap Company, Tim Foxall spatulas and Philippa Hodkinson Flowers will not be able to join us this month. However, Tim Foxall and Durham Soap Company both sell online and you can find their respective websites by following the links from their names.

We are extremely happy to be able to bring you a farmers’ market, even with a reduced number of producers, but we do urge all our customers to stick with the rules:

• If you have any COVID symptoms, please stay at home and get a test, as per the recommendations;
• Keep to social distancing (2m) between yourself and other customers and between you and our producers;
• Sanitise your hands frequently
• Queue responsibly
• Please shop alone if you can

Although wearing of masks isn’t compulsory we welcome it if you do.

Thank you for your patience and your cooperation.

The recovery of Hexham Farmers’ Market is taking another step forward on Saturday 25 July, with the very welcome return of Cumberland Mustard, Northumbria Preserves and Stonehouse Smokery.  There will be 20 stalls in total covering just about all products that you might expect at a farmers’ market.

As is now becoming the norm, the market will be on two sides of Hexham Abbey as well on the Market Place and in fact there will be more stalls on the Abbey Flags than on the Market Place. Because of the larger area, you might not see the usual stalls in their familiar places, but chances are that they will be there somewhere: don’t go home empty handed, but ask one of the other stallholders or one of the stewards.

Face coverings became compulsory in shops and other enclosed public space on Friday 24 July. However, as Hexham farmers Market is not an enclosed space, face coverings are welcome, but not required. Our usual CV19 measures continue to apply: Please keep 2m apart, limit the number of people at a stall, regularly sanitise your hands and be patient. We look forward to seeing you there between 9am and 1.30pm.

As we slowly get back to some sort of normality Hexham Farmers’ Market will extend a bit further again this Saturday, 11 July, when a number of stalls will be positioned on the Abbey Flags both at the east and the north side of the Abbey. We will have 17 trading stalls and will see the very welcome return this week of the Durham Soap Company from Lanchester, Tim Foxall spatulas from Haltwhistle and Mawbray Cheese from Cumbria.

Our prime aim is to keep both customers and stallholders safe so we ask that you maintain social distancing at 2m, queue responsibly (also at 2m) and regularly sanitise your hands.  There will be hand sanitiser available at a stall on the Abbey Flags as well as at several of the producer stalls.

The farmers’ market on Saturday 11 July 2020 runs between 9am and 1.30pm.