Traders at Kirkby Lonsdale Charter Market say the site has had a new lease of life after they joined forces to take over the day-to-day running of the weekly market themselves.

Kirkby Lonsdale has had a market charter since 1227, making it home to one of the oldest markets in the country. However, during the pandemic, the withdrawal of its private operator threw its future into doubt. 
With support from Kirkby Lonsdale CIC (Community Interest Company), stallholders took advice from the National Market Traders Federation and became a Market Traders Co-Operative. It’s now just over two years on and Paul Laycock, chair of the market co-operative running the market, said: “Kirkby Lonsdale Charter Market strikes a real balance between maintaining a strong sense of community and servicing tourists. 
“Kirkby Lonsdale CIC were very responsive to the idea of the market being run and operated by locals for the benefit of local communities, and even invested in new gazebos to help us get started. We’ve now been operating a very successful market as a co-operative every Thursday since July 2021, holding markets on 49 weeks of the year with anything up to 28 stalls. Some market stalls are here weekly, while others are fortnightly or monthly, so there is often something slightly different to see. That ranges from fresh produce and local delicacies, to handmade gifts, flowers, local arts and crafts, and so on.”
Paul is a former director of an IT educational supply company, who initially opened a book stall as an extension of his wife’s bookshop. He also started a jigsaw exchange on the market and the couple now have a jigsaw shop in the town too. Despite the market’s success, there are also challenges. 
Paul added: "All the traders are in it together, and we continue to work hard to support each other. At the same time, the economic climate is challenging and we do have ups and downs. In recent months, some of the traders have been contact with coach tour operators and produced flyers, which they have distributed to local hotels and campsites. 
"However, maintaining community support all year round is just as important. It really is local people who make a big difference to supporting trade and local livelihoods, particularly during the winter months. We’ve achieved a lot over the last two years, but it’s vital that communities continue to ‘support local’. There’s been a market here for almost 800 years and we want to see it continue to thrive in the months and years ahead.”
Alongside the Charter Market, Kirkby Lonsdale Country Market is held in Lunesdale Hall every Thursday, from 10am to midday, offering a range of locally made produce and handcrafted goods. See www.kirkbylonsdale.info or visit Kirkby Lonsdale Information and Gift Shop for more information.