Success for inaugural Rochdale Food and Artisans’ Fayre

Date published: 11 September 2020

The inaugural Rochdale Food and Artisans’ Fayre has paved the way for further successful events on the first Saturday of the month.

Rochdale’s Wheatsheaf Centre was buzzing for the first event, held on 5 September, as shoppers browsed local cheeses and farm-reared meat. There was even an observatory hive of honeybees, surrounded by jars of local honey, and wondrous hand-crafted glass decorations and ornaments.

The Fayre is being brought to Rochdale by Lisa Reedy, who has been running local artisan markets for the last two years, including Rawtenstall, and has been a market trader for over 10 years.

Lisa, who brought a host of her Reedy’s Naturally preserves, relish, chutney, vinegars, oils and salad dressings, said: “The first Rochdale Food and Artisans’ Fayre was fabulous. The Wheatsheaf team is great, so positive and supportive. It made the day a real success and very enjoyable too – I cannot wait for next month!

“Thank you from me and all our lovely quality traders for visiting our first Farmers’ and Artisan Fayre. You helped to make it such a friendly and successful event, one we plan to hold and grow every month with the great support from the team at the Wheatsheaf Centre.

“We’ll be back on 3 October with some extra local small businesses joining us  to tempt you."

With a wide range of traders and attractions, the new monthly event will bring the best crafted food products and goods in the North West to the upper mall of the Wheatsheaf Shopping Centre.

Covid-secure measures include one-way systems, multiple hand-sanitising stations, social distancing, and traders will operate within the government guidelines.

The Rochdale Food and Artisans’ Fayre runs from 10am until 4pm on the first Saturday of each month in the upper mall of The Wheatsheaf Shopping Centre. The next will be held on Saturday 3 October, Saturday 7 November and Saturday 5 December.