EVERY FRIDAY IS MARKET DAY IN BEXHILL

Friday means only one thing in Bexhill — market day! Viktoria Cowley takes time to visit the range of stalls at the regular market in Devonshire Place.

As I walk to work early in the morning, I see the market traders setting up their stalls. It converts the usually empty pedestrianised area into the bustling hub of the town just for one day a week.

The market traders take up the pedestrianised square in Devonshire Road just outside the Post Office where a handful of local independent traders set up for the day. I simply have to pay a visit during my lunch break and peruse the produce and purchase some on offer.

We’re so lucky in Bexhill that our market is populated with traders such as a butcher, baker, florist, jams, preserves and eco-friendly products, plus many more. These signify the mainstay of our local buying needs and it’s important these traders remain trading there. The only way we can ensure this is if we buy from them.

I love visiting the local markets, the traders will always treat us as their friends, whether they’ve met us before or not. They are always available to chat, engage in conversation and answer any queries about their produce and where or how they’ve been made or sourced.

I’ve often bought produce from them and been more than delighted with it all. This week I bought the most beautiful loaf of bread. I know it sounds quite bizarre as one of our main staple foods is the humble loaf of bread, however, there’s bread and there’s this bread! The softness was second to none and the taste was sublime. Buying a similar product from a supermarket would not be nearly as fresh and wouldn’t stay soft for nearly half the time. I also bought a few venison shanks and some wild boar, beer and hop sausages.

The venison shanks made our Sunday roast a real treat and so tasty. We’re yet to try the sausages but very much look forward to them.

Another reason for buying from local market traders is that their produce is totally traceable, sustainable and farmed responsibly, a set of qualities that cannot be provided or promised from the big supermarket giants since their only goal is generating as much money as possible.

There is a difference in price. Comparing the supermarkets to the farmers and growers shows a real price difference, but with all the advantages mentioned above, if you can afford the prices then I will guarantee you will not be disappointed.

If you really care about the sustainability of where and how your food is grown and sourced, the only genuine way to do that is to support them at their source.

The Bexhill Farmers Market is open from 9am-1pm every Friday.