Wilmslow Artisan Market

by Jacqui Priestley

Fresh aromas, vivid colours, eclectic treasures, buzzing crowds – a mere stroll amongst the many stalls of Wilmslow Artisan Market (scheduled for every 3rd Saturday of the month, regardless of the weather!) are enough to invigorate the senses and whet the appetite, and I met several artisans last Saturday as the ‘Cheshire’s Golden Triangle’ team chatted with stallholders along Alderley Road.

The market aims to keep things authentic, providing a rare but enchanting opportunity to meet the many food & craft producers & suppliers. The local entertainment and local community groups provide a real sense of ownership, adding to the atmosphere, the mix and bustle reminiscent of yesteryear with a contemporary twist.

It is a haven for anybody who cares about the quality and provenance of the food they eat, for those that seek something different from that on supermarket shelves. It provides a cornucopia of exquisite handcrafted, artistic items and an opportunity to interact with the artisan who has produced them.

But it’s not just the sheer quality of the items on offer that makes an Artisan Market so special –it is also about the people and the place. Locally based, mostly around Cheshire’s Golden Triangle, craftspeople and producers who are passionate about their products represent the event.

Most of the stallholders are themselves primary producers – people who grow, make, create, style, rear, craft or bake the products that they sell. Others are suppliers with intimate knowledge of their products and the people who made them. As a result, Wilmslow Artisan Market has become a vast repository of culinary knowledge, artisan craftsmanship and skills from previous generations.

It’s a place to explore, to ask questions, to discover new flavours, unearth entrepreneurship, nurture bygone mastery, and to savour a unique, buzzing atmosphere.

The Market Co, a small family business, delivers the Artisan Market to towns and destinations across the region, offering a stage for exceptional produce and handcrafted items, wrapped together in a dynamic community event.