'Well loved' Leighton Buzzard Market picks up national award

"Well loved" Leighton Buzzard Market has received national recognition today at the NABMA Great British Market Awards.

The town picked up the accolade for Best Local Council Market at the The National Association of British Market Authorities' presentation held at its conference in Birmingham.

The awards were presented by Simon Baynes MP for Clwyd South, the Chairman of the All-Party Markets Parliamentary Group and the citation for Leighton Buzzard read: “Local councils are the growth membership for NABMA and this category has a winner with a market that dates back to the Doomsday Book.

"As well as traders standing in this market for over 40 years, it has recently launched a young trader’s scheme to encourage new entrepreneurs working with schools, Young Enterprise, the Prince’s Trust and NMTF.

“The operator has an expanding number of special events; is attracting a volume of enquires from new traders and offers a business start-up scheme that is proving very popular.

“Social media is used extensively and without doubt this market is well loved in its town evidenced by online surveys.”

What's your view on Leighton Buzzard Market and its success? What's your favourite stall? Email [email protected].

A town council spokesman said the council had attended the conference “with no expectations”.

She said: “As the introduction to the Best Local Council Market award was being read out, our ears pricked up in recognition. It was such a delight to hear Leighton Buzzard Market’s name being said out loud.

“This competition was suspended during the height of the Covid pandemic so to be an award winner in its returning year is very special indeed.

“It recognises the astute decision made by our town councillors at the beginning of the pandemic to wave pitch fees. We believe this supported our traders during hard times and meant all were able to return to the market. The town council continues to view the market as an intrinsic part of the town centre offer.”

Reacting to its success, LB Market posted on social media: "We are so thrilled to be announced as Best Local Council Market at the #NABMA Market Awards today! Thank you so very much to all of you who voted for us, as well as to the NABMA panel."

Mayor Farzana Kharawala posted: "Absolutely fantastic news! Everyone involved with our Charter market should feel very proud indeed and it's great that all their hard work and dedication has been nationally recognised."

LB First said: "Well done LB Market, well deserved", while Leighton-Linslade Helpers added: "Congratulations to Adrian and his team for winning Best Local Council Market at the #NABMA Market Awards today. We are so proud in our town to have an amazing market and the staff who run the market are always going above beyond and work extremely hard."

Commenting on the 2022 awards, Chief Executive of NABMA, David Preston, said: “Nominations came in from far and wide and presented the most difficult of jobs for our judging panel. The judging panel was representative of some of the most experienced market professionals in the industry.

“Markets have shown great tenacity, innovation and enterprise over the last two years and continue to be valued as key parts of local communities and vital to the regeneration of our towns and cities. Congratulations to all our winners.”

See the full list of winners here.