Monday September 5, 2011

Dear colleague,

Bolton Food Festival

Congratulations to Bolton for a wonderful event over the Bank Holiday weekend. While there was heavy rain during Saturday morning the sun later came out encourage the crowds to pack the streets and sample the entertainment and the various stalls.  Bolton certainly pressed all the right buttons with cookery displays by the Hairy Bikers and other celebrity chefs. It was a great event and showed markets in the very best light. Well done to Bolton for making such a success of their food festival!

Loyalty Card

Lots of shopping destinations have loyalty cards and while I was at Bolton, Bolton is claiming to be the first markets authority to produce a loyalty card for Bolton markets. Can anyone else claim that they have introduced a loyalty card and therefore they can claim to be the first market in the country to have introduced such an innovation?

'Spotlight on Markets' - NABMA Annual Conference

The final stages of the preparation for the NABMA Conference are now being made. If you have not already booked there is still time to make a last minute booking. If you cannot come for the full Conference then you can come as a day delegate on either Monday 19th or Tuesday 20th September 2011. Please book as soon as possible if you would like to avail yourself of the very attractive delegate rates that are available throughout the Conference.

Blachere Market Awards

Thanks to everyone who submitted nominations. As often is the case the nominations came flooding in during the last few days. The judging panel have now reduced the nominations to a shortlist of three in each category and the three shortlisted candidates are being advised that they are on the shortlist from which an award will be made at the Gala Dinner on the evening of the 19th September 2011 at the NABMA Conference.

Street Trading and Pedlars - European Services Directive

I hope everyone has now received details of NABMA’s representations on this important issue. The Government’s intention is to deregulate pedlars and this means that pedlars will be in a position to trade on far more favourable terms than market/street traders. It is vital that local authorities express their concern about this deregulation proposal. A further update will be given after the BIS seminar on the 16th September 2011.