Market is there but traders are stalling over return

AFTER a Covid absence of many months, the Monday market has returned to Skipton. It’s not the main day. Those are Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, when the High Street is closed to traffic.

I went along to see how things are. Not brilliantly well, is the honest verdict.

Stalls were lined up in their proper place on cobbled setts, but almost all on one side of the road. The shady side, and it was a hot day. I counted a dozen hopefuls displaying their wares, with women’s clothing predominating. Trousers £5.99, but some on the £2.99 rail.

There were also stalls for handbags, jewellery, pet food, dog food and carpets, socks, hats (Peaky Blinders caps, £5.99), vegetables, sunglasses and sweets and black T-shirts with heavy metal designs. Face masks, often reduced, abounded.

My favourite, the cheese, biscuits, jams and olives man was on parade, but I’d already loaded up at the supermarket. Stupid boy, you were supposed to be shopping in the market.

Skipton was granted the honour of a market in the 13th century reign of King John, and on a busy summer’s day it sometimes feels like the shoppers date from then. The town, “gateway to the

Dales”, is a magnet for old folks’ bus trips. The pavements get crowded, which is why it was a good idea to close the High Street so stalls could face outwards into the road.

Coming home on the hopper bus, the conversation was up to standard. “I didn’t get much,” said a white-haired lady. “I just came for a wander.”

“Yes, it’s nice to do that, especially when the weather’s nice,” said her friend. Indeed it is. Nice to see them back, to see them back, nice!