Teignbridge supports Love Your Local Market

Shoppers in Newton Abbot have the chance to win a £100 trolley dash as Teignbridge District Council team up with market traders in support of Love Your Local Market 2016.

The annual Love Your Local Market campaign, led by the National Association of British Market Authorities (NABMA), is now in its fifth year and runs from Tuesday 17 May to Tuesday 31 May.

To mark the occasion and encourage people to shop locally, Teignbridge is offering a special markets trolley dash prize draw to attract people into the market town.

Visitors can pick up an entry form from various locations around the Indoor Market and Market Square, with one lucky winner given £100 to spend within the markets and the chance to fill their trolley with anything they want.

Love Your Local Market started in 2012 and, so far, participants have staged over 4,000 events nationwide. This year Newton Abbot will be celebrating to highlight the importance that markets play in the heart of communities, not only for retail but as valuable community assets that provide a focal point.

The event comes in the year that Teignbridge, which is responsible for running Newton Abbot’s range of indoor and outdoor markets, made the landmark acquisition of Newton Abbot’s Market Walk shopping centre.

The largest investment in Teignbridge’s history, it has extended the council’s portfolio of assets and will help positively influence the future regeneration of the town centre.

Teignbridge District Council’s Markets Manager for Newton Abbot, Mike Walsh said:

"Love Your Local Market is a celebration of market culture, happening over a fortnight in May each year. More than 1,200 markets took place in 2015 celebrating over 7,000 events and market days, it’s a great opportunity for people to come and see the diverse offers from our traders. Newton Abbot has a proud tradition of markets that have long been a force for good for the local economy."

"I'm delighted we are backing the campaign again. We'd encourage regular visitors and new ones to come and see us, spend time in the markets - browsing or buying - and enter the prize draw. Good luck!"

Last year’s trolley dash winner Mrs Diane Drinnan-Platt, said:

"My husband and I both visit Newton Abbot, and your market in particular, as we regard it as much preferable to that of other South Devon towns. The undercover market is a 'gem' and unique in this area, the market traders offering a wide range of quality products and produce at affordable prices."

"It is a pleasurable experience and much preferable to that of visiting the 'cloned' city and town centres, also the out-of-town shopping centres. Newton Abbot has a vibrant town centre and also a superb town museum, something for it to be justly proud of."

Teignbridge District Council is responsible for running Newton Abbot's range of indoor and outdoor markets. There is a food hall which sells local produce and an outdoor market in Market Square every Wednesday and Saturday. There is also:

• A produce market is in Courtenay Street every Tuesday and Friday from 9am - 3pm
• Trash & Treasure Sales in Market Square every Friday 8am - 4pm
• Livestock Auctions in the Cattle Market area every Wednesday and poultry sales every second Saturday from March until the end of October.
• Car Boot Sales on various Sundays either in the Cattle Market car park, or on rainy days the multi-storey Car Park is available from 6am - 1pm