www.findamarket.net – *** NEWS ***

Albert Square, St Ann’s Square, New Cathedral Street, Exchange Street and Brazennose Street

Manchester is already looking forward to one of the highlights of the city centre’s event calendar, the Christmas Markets.

Famous as a meeting place before the office party or an oasis to de-stress in the pre-Christmas frenzy, the markets are also the perfect place to buy an unusual gift ? and in 2007 the choice is wider than ever.

New traders in the winter wonderland of Albert Square this year will include: Selfridges, selling a range of food, gifts and accessories. Marketing Manchester, promoting their new line of merchandise with a Manchester theme, including a Manchester snow globe, an ‘I Love Manchester’ range including mugs, fridge magnets, pens and key rings, and an accessory collection featuring the Manchester bee symbol.

For that extra special touch, media partners Smooth Radio will be offering a gift-wrapping stall, where donations can be made to Macmillan Cancer Support.

As part of the Christmas package Smooth Radio will also be announcing where the Christmas Fairy will appear to dispense Christmas cheer, free gifts and vouchers.

Carrying on the fairy theme, the hugely popular Forget Me Not Fairies, one of the most popular gifts in 2006, can be found in Albert Square and New Cathedral Street.

The Good Bag Company return with their jute bags, the green alternative to the Christmas stocking, and there is a wide range of gifts for men, including handmade jewellery and clothes.

Albert Square is set to be the centre of festivities with the return of the Talking Christmas Reindeer and the German Beer Tent. The ever-popular line-up of chalets will offer sizzling bratwurst, speciality beers and wines, continental cheeses, a British hog roast, fabulous food from Switzerland, cakes, biscuits, fresh cr?pes and hot, spiced Gl?hwein, plus ? new for 2007 ? a champagne bar where you can celebrate the festive season.

St Ann’s Square sees the return of the original German Christmas Market from Frankfurt, where Manchester tasted its very first Gl?hwein! As ever, bratwurst stalls abound, interspaced with stalls offering authentic wooden toys and handcrafted gifts including decorative pottery, glassware, jewellery, crafts and unique accessories.

Once again, there will be a market in Brazennose Street, and those in the know who want to beat the crowds in Albert Square will discover a brand new wine house in Lincoln Square, serving festive specialities surrounded by chalets selling gifts and hot food plus a Christmas tree stall next to Deansgate.

An Arts and Crafts Market will also take place in Exchange Street and New Cathedral Street, where there will be a new Gluhwein House with seating for up to 40 people.

The markets, a regular part of the City’s events calendar, have continued to attract visitors from all over the UK.

Councillor Eddy Newman, Executive Member for Markets, said: “For a truly festive experience Manchester Christmas Markets are a must. They are now considered to be among the best in Europe and each year we are committed to building on their success. Soak up the atmosphere with the traditional wooden chalets and hot chestnuts. The markets are a great place to buy gifts and they make Christmas shopping a real pleasure.”

Dates, times and venues:

Manchester European Christmas Market, Albert Square, 10am to 9pm daily

Christmas Gifts and Food Market, Albert Square, 10.am ? 9pm Thursday ? Sunday weekly

Manchester German Christmas Market, St Ann’s Square, 10am to 8pm daily

Manchester Christmas Arts and Crafts Market: Exchange Street, 10am to 8pm

Manchester Christmas Market: New Cathedral Street, 10am to 8pm daily

Manchester Christmas Market, Brazennose Street, 10am to 7pm daily

BBC 2?s famous Hairy Bikers, Dave Myers and Si King are two hirsute, chubby, middle-aged, bike-riding foodies ? not professional chefs? but food lovers with a mutual passionate love of food, travel and adventure. They pack up their panniers, rev up their bikes, leave their wives and girlfriends and head off in search of authentic culinary and cultural experiences in all corners of the world. On Friday 16 November their search will take them to Bury?s World Famous Market a haven for foodies everywhere.

The Market offers a fabulous value for money range of fruits and vegetables, fresh meats and fish, an abundance of cheeses and the famous black puddings. Fresh food with less packaging is always available and often at a fraction of the cost of local supermarkets.

The lads will be preparing and cooking a Lancashire Hot Pot with produce purchased from the Market. Cooking will begin at approximately 12.30pm on The Square, Between Katsouris Delicatessen and Othello?s Caf?, in front of Bury Market Hall.

With their friendly charm and infectious enthusiasm, we feel certain the lads will be welcomed with open arms by the locals.

A spokesperson for Bury Metro?s Markets said: ?Bury Market has Top National recognition for fine quality foods so its traders and managers are delighted to welcome ?The Hairy Bikers?.

Bury?s World Famous Market is Open on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, and its Market Halls are open on Weekdays and Saturdays.

A revamp of the planning system to allow greater competition between UK supermarkets has been called for by the Competition Commission.

But the report said that in most areas the UK groceries market was delivering “a good deal for consumers”.

The commission also called for further measures to protect suppliers.

“We are not happy with everything that is going on between supermarkets and their suppliers,” Peter Freeman, chairman of the Competition Commission told the BBC.

“In general, a healthy tension is a good thing for consumers but we are concerned about some aspects,” he added.

Encouraging complaints

The report said it was concerned about retailers being able to transfer unexpected costs to their suppliers.

The commission will consult retailers and suppliers about how best to deal with this problem.

There is already a code of practice for the treatment of suppliers, which was set up after the commission’s last report on the sector in 2000.

One question is whether suppliers need to be encouraged to complain about their treatment by retailers and how to go about doing so, perhaps by offering them anonymity.

The report dismissed suggestions that the market-leader, Tesco, is too strong, saying: “Tesco is not in such a strong position that other retailers cannot compete”.

It pointed to the fact that other grocers are still expanding as evidence that Tesco is not too powerful.

Supermarkets ombudsman

There will also be consultation on whether having an supermarkets ombudsman would be a good idea.

Peter Kendall, president of the National Farmers’ Union, supported the suggestion of an independent voice that could hold retailers to account.

“We try to do it as a farmers’ organisation. It’s important we have a fair and balanced relationship with the retail sector,” he said.

The commission found that consumers have good choice between retailers in most areas, “but in a number of local areas more competition would benefit consumers”.

It suggests introducing a competition test into the planning process that will allow the position of existing supermarkets to be taken into account.

Selling land

It is also considering rules to stop retailers using restrictive covenants when they sell land that make it less likely that rival shops can be built there.

It may also decide that any land owned by supermarkets must be sold if it is not developed within a certain amount of time.

Such measures would be designed to deal with allegations of “land-banking”, which is the practice of buying up land near a store to prevent a competitor being able to open an outlet nearby.

The report from the Competition Commission is not final.

Supermarkets will have the opportunity to respond to its findings before the final recommendations are published in March 2008.

Nabma has announced that Antony Worrall Thompson TV celebrity has agreed to front Market of the Year 2008.

In agreeing to his endorsement and support of the Market of the Year competition Antony Worrall Thompson admitted that he was a strong supporter of markets. ?I believe that markets are a vitally important component within the food chain. They provide fresh produce, an outlet for locally sourced food and I am proud to have been a long standing supporter and regular user. I would urge everyone, both producer and consumer, to support their local market and I look forward to working with NABMA and being involved in Market of the Year 2008. Markets are important community assets and I am excited at helping raise their profile and stressing the importance of markets across the U.K?

The multi award winning Bury?s World Famous Market was visited by William Haig and his team on Friday 12 October 2007 with a welcome extended by Cllr Dorothy Gunther from Bury Metropolitan Council.

They were able to see first hand the major achievements Bury Market has made in the past few years and how they continue to operate so successfully in the very competitive world of markets.

William visited many of the stalls on the famous market.

He has campaigned widely for equal opportunities for disabled people and was particularly complimentary of the clear wide aisles in Bury Market Hall which is open six days a week.

Cllr Dorothy Gunther said: ?Bury Market is visited by hundreds of thousands of satisfied shoppers each week and has dominated the retail sector in the locality for over 500 years thanks to its location (which is within 2 hours drive of 16 million people), its huge selling area, diverse range of products, and good working relationships with its honest and reliable traders?

Bury?s traditional open market with its canopies, enhanced weather protection, and modern shopping offers good old-fashioned values and is a shoppaholic?s paradise offering a real taste of northern hospitality. It?s now a major retailing venue and a popular destination for 1000 coaches bringing visitors from far and wide.

An on-line ad featuring a voice over by Alexi Sayle is urging shoppers to spend a few more pounds in local stores to stop them from disappearing completely. The ad, `Every Little Helps’ launched today by Friends of the Earth shows the destructive effect that Tesco has on local shops.

The ad comes as an NOP survey shows almost half of the public (43%) in the UK would oppose a new Tesco store in their area while only a third (33%) would welcome one. The survey contradicts Tesco’s claims that the ‘silent majority’ of people want a new Tesco store in their area.

The Ad can be viewed here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGoWKVA87ro

The survey also shows the majority of people (80%) want more independent local shops in their local area – something that is being rapidly eroded by the closure of local shops which cannot compete with the big supermarkets.

Friends of the Earth is calling on the Competition Commission to reduce Tesco’s dominance and power in the grocery market.

Sandra Bell, Friends of the Earth supermarket campaigner said:

“The Every Little Helps video is a frighteningly accurate depiction of Tesco’s effect on local communities. Local shops simply cannot compete with Tesco’s ever-growing dominance and many are being forced to close. It’s not surprising that more and more people don’t want a new Tesco opening near them. It is unacceptable that the Government is currently considering dismantling planning laws to make it even easier for big supermarkets to build huge out of town stores.”

Alexi Sayle said:

“I don’t want to live in a chain store nation. Cherish your local shops – they’re special”.

The environmental charitystrongly opposes the current move by the Government to weaken retail planning policy to make it easier for supermarkets to build new out-of-town stores. TheGovernment’s Planning White Paper proposes theremovalof the key ‘need test’ which requires supermarkets to demonstrate a need foradditional floor space outside the town centre.

Dudley market is offering new traders half price stalls on the run up to Christmas.

• town centre location
• half price stalls for new traders
• open Monday to Saturday
• 74 fixed stalls
• vehicle access to load/unload goods
• Typical half price stalls start from just ?5.22 !

Click here for contact details/vacancies/more information !

Three traders were sentenced on Friday after admitting selling fake goods at Bovingdon Market.

The sentencing on two directors of Wendy Fair, which runs the market, was adjourned. They had been convicted of money laundering.

The stallholders were said by the prosecution to be part of the 20 per cent who were openly trading in counterfeits.

David Groome, prosecuting at St Albans Crown Court, said that in the course of 2004 and 2005 the market had developed a reputation for selling fakes.

He told the court that Wendy Fair Markets Limited, the company that operated the market on the disused airfield, had “turned a blind eye”.

Between April 30 and November 12, 2005 Herts Trading Standards officers launched an investigation and undercover operations and test purchases were carried out.

Stallholder John Granger, 57, formerly of Holt Road, Romford, and now retired to Spain, was caught when test purchases of fake Nike, Prada and Timberland track suits were made and 204 items were seized from his stall, along with ?196 in takings.

He was ordered to pay a ?1,000 fine and ?2,500 costs after he pleaded guilty to unauthorised use of trade marks.

Another stall run by Gareth Richards, 26, of Lower End Road, Milton Keynes and Ricci Jones, 38, of Dylan Court, Houghton Regis, was selling counterfeit DVDs and clothing. In all, 607 counterfeit DVDs were seized along with ?69 in takings. Richards and Jones admitted two charges of unlawful use of trade marks.

Judge Stephen Warner ordered Richards to pay a fine of ?750 with a further ?1,500 costs. Jones, who had a previous conviction for a similar offence, was ordered to complete 80 hours unpaid work and pay ?750 costs.

Sentencing on Wendy Fair Markets Ltd and directors Sally Ward and Nicholas Hobday was adjourned pending a confiscation hearing.

In July Wendy Fair Markets Ltd, Sally Ward, 44, of Woodland Road, Maple Cross, Rickmansworth and Nicholas Hobday, 46, of Stoke Road, Blisworth, Northants were convicted of money laundering.

Mr Groome said the prosecution case for the confiscation hearing was that Wendy Fair Markets had a benefit of ?1.4 million from its operation at Bovingdon.

David Scutt, for Sally Ward said she would be appealing against conviction.

With the cost of meat likely to rise due to increased animal feed costs, the organisers of British Food Fortnight, which takes place 22nd September to 7th October, give consumers seven reasons to buy British meat:

1. British meat is produced to some of the highest welfare standards in the world; no growth-promoting hormones are allowed and any antibiotics are administered only under veterinary direction.

2. Britain’s cattle passport system means that each animal can be uniquely traced to its dam and place of birth.

3. Britain’s pig farmers operate by UK law to standards of welfare that are not only higher than those outside the EU but are higher than those of nearly every other EU member state; so think twice before buying that packet of pork, bacon or ham with the words ?product of the EU?. There is a 70% chance that it comes from a farming system that would be illegal in Britain.

4. Britain’s beef and sheep industries are the envy of the world; breeding livestock and genetics from our native breeds are much sought after by farmers in other countries. Protect our great native livestock industry by buying the real thing, not some imported substitute.

5. British meat travels less far from farm to shop so regardless of how carbon footprints are calculated it self-evidently has a lower carbon footprint.

6. Don’t be misled by supermarket packaging that can make British and imported meat look similar. Look for the origin information and evidence of British flags and assurance marks.

7. Choosing British meat means supporting British livestock farmers whose husbandry helps to keep the British countryside the way we want it to look; no cows – no countryside!

Alexia Robinson, organiser of British Food Fortnight, says: ?British meat is the best in the world, but if we don?t make an active effort to buy it when we are shopping or eating out it quite simply will not be available in 50 years time because most of our livestock farmers will have gone out of business.?

For further advice on buying British and on how to take part in British Food Fortnight, see www.britishfoodfortnight.co.uk.

The European Union is set to confirm it has abandoned what became one of its most unpopular policies among many people in Britain.

It is proposing to allow the UK to continue using pounds, miles and pints as units of measurement indefinitely. The European Commission will announce later it is leaving all future decisions to the British government.

The decision is a victory for supporters of the ancient imperial system, the so-called “metric martyrs”.

Beer and milk

The UK had been due to set a date for phasing out all its imperial measurements within three years.

This would have meant setting a deadline for ending the traditional delivery of pints of milk – and the sale of pints of beer in Britain’s pubs.

Every one of Britain’s road signs would have had to be changed from miles to kilometres – a move which opponents warned would be both expensive and confusing.

But it was the move, begun in 2000, to make Britain’s market traders sell their produce in kilograms rather than pounds and ounces which caused outrage among traditionalists. Sunderland grocer Steve Thorburn inspired the so-called Metric Martyr movement with his defiance of the order to abandon the imperial measurements.

In 2001 his scales were confiscated and he earned a criminal conviction for selling a pound of bananas from his market stall. He died unexpectedly from a heart attack three years ago – but it appears the campaign he founded has finally succeeded.

In future market traders will be allowed to show both metric and imperial prices for their goods.

Under the plans which have now been scrapped, even displaying the price of fruit and vegetables in pounds and ounces would have been grounds for a criminal prosecution.

The decision to back down was made by the European Commission’s industry commissioner Gunter Verheugen.

His role includes trying to improve the EU’s reputation in member states – and in an interview with the BBC, he admitted the EU had been making itself unpopular on an issue that didn’t really matter.

“I organised a huge consultation, and the result was that industry told us there was no problem with the existing system.

“I want to bring to an end a bitter, bitter battle that has lasted for decades and which in my view is completely pointless. We’re bringing this battle to an end.”

Britain first mooted plans to convert to an all-metric system in 1965.

That led to generations of schoolchildren being promised that they would be the last ones who would have to learn two different systems.