We’re delighted to be wqelcoming back three old friends to the market on Saturday 8 May 2021. Carron Craighead from MiddleMay Lamb and Tim Foxall will be returning for the first time since Christmas last year and Simon from Northern Ark Nursery is back for the first time since autumn.  We’re delighted to have them back and we’re sure you will be too.

The scaffolding on the Market Place side of Hexham Abbey has now gone so the market will be suing that space a little more intensvely and as the market on Saturday 8 May will be the busiest since Christmas we have had to put the stalls a little closer together than we have done over recent months. However, we will have barriers between the stalls and we will have our volunteer stewards on hand to help manage any queues.

The market on the 8th is also the last one to benefit from the closure of Beaumont Street and Hallstile Bank.  We learned this week that all the road management measures will be lifted on 17 May, so from the market on the 22nd onwards we will have to be more careful with through traffic again.  We have really felt that the measures which have been in place since last summer, made the experience of this historic part of Hexham much more pleasant and the market has benefited from that those improvements. We’re sad to see them go.  However, if you  and your family have enjoyed being in the Market Place and surrounding area while the road has been closed and think that we could learn from this experience and improve the situation more permanently, please feel free to contact your newly re-elected County Councillors.

This year we’ve got the very first Valentine’s Day under a lockdown and on top of that there’s snow on the ground in Hexham.  Whatever the circumstances, we’re planning to be in Hexham on Saturday 13 February in perfect time to get the ingredients for a romantic meal in, or to buy and extra special gift for your loved one.

By getting products from Hexham Farmers’ Market you buy food and drink that doesn’t cost the earth, that’s not travelled all over the world and that builds a community. You pounds spent at the market will circulate round the economy of the North of England supporting the resilience of the area.   You can aslo talk to the people who prodcued your food and drink and build a real relationship.

Having said all that, we do still operate under COVID lockdown restrictions, so we encourage everyone to keep their distance, sanitise their hands regularly, to queue responsibly and to not socialise for too long.  We look forward to seeing you!

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 asked 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
• North Shore Catering- patisserie from this list. Please order and pre-pay by contacting Ellie on 07740 650353 or by email on e.armstrong (at) btinternet.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
• Northumberland Honey does order online and pick up at the market via their website
• Askerton Castle Estate- full range of pasture-fed beef and lamb, pork and chicken (when available). Detials on https://www.askertoncastle.co.uk/

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.