ALTON'S reputation as a traditional market town will be enhanced next Saturday, March 10, with a farmers' market in the High Street and a craft market in the Market Square. The combination is expected to mark the beginning of a new and better shopping experience that will draw visitors from the surrounding area and set the town buzzing. According to town initiatives manager, Vernon Pearce, the decision to combine the two markets is part of a bold experiment to boost footfall at both markets and will involve the farmers' market moving to the High Street, where there will be room for it to expand. He claimed it was: "A relocation forced by a strong determination to survive". According to Hampshire farmers' market co- ordinator, Sarah Read, the organisation is deeply concerned about the future viability of its markets in Alton. She told members at last week's meeting of Alton Town Council's recreation committee, that during 2006 the Alton markets had attracted 40 to 45 stalls, with a waiting list. The bookings for 2007 were disappointing by comparison at an average of 25 stalls, representing a drop of nearly 50 per cent. She reminded the committee that when she met Pam Bradford and deputy town clerk Greg Burt last year, she had expressed concern about falling visitor and stallholder numbers. "We do not want to see Alton farmers' markets dying," said Mrs Read. She told councillors that the directors of Hampshire farmers' markets and the stallholders would like to see the market relocated within the main thoroughfare, where they were convinced the situation would radically change and support for the market would recover. At the same time, Heather Andrews, who runs the town's monthly craft markets, five of which will coincide with the farmers' markets, was keen to remain in the Market Square. The loss of shoppers was a blow for Alton Town Council which was instrumental in getting the markets to Alton in the wake of the 2001 Foot-and-Mouth crisis. The first markets in 2002 were on Sundays and attracted large crowds to the Market Square. East Hampshire District Council match- funded the cost of hosting the markets until 2004, providing financial support towards the cost of advertising, support the town council has continued to provide. In 2004, following concerns over a decline in shopper numbers and despite the impact of overspill into Lady Place car park, it was decided to try a Saturday market. Chairing last Wednesday's meeting, Pam Bradford said that following the move from Sunday to Saturday, she felt support for the market had gone down. Unconvinced that the location would make a difference and preferring to keep the market in the Square, Mrs Bradford said she would like to revert to a Sunday regime before considering a change of location. But Mrs Read explained that her organisation traded in 13 towns in Hampshire, several of which had regular monthly markets on a Sunday. As a result it was difficult to accommodate those towns with fewer markets into the calendar. Forced to be content with Hobson's choice, as the market authority for the town, Mr Burt reminded councillors that they still had the power to veto a move to the High Street. He suggested a 12-month trial to see how it fared, which would allow the monthly craft markets to remain in the Market Square. He also suggested that, as managers of the town's Tuesday market in the High Street, Alton Initiatives Management (AIM) Ltd would be best placed to administer the farmers' market. With great reluctance the committee agreed to a move by Hampshire farmers' markets to the High Street for a year (to include five Saturday markets) and that Mr Burt be left to liaise with AIM over the operating procedures.
