The sweet smell of success for mum’s new market stall

Fellow traders welcome Leanne

MUM-OF-TWO Leanne Halsey has opened a stall selling sweets at a popular market.

The 30-year-old has taken on the last remaining stall at Leek’s Butter Market and opened Sweet About Me.

Leanne said: “The unit came available in December and I applied for it.

“I have been doing it as a hobby for the past few years. I started off at Christmas selling hot chocolates and sweet cones and it has gone from there.

“I worked in the restaurant industry since I was aged 14 but I left my job last July and started trading one day a week selling sweets.

“A man who sold sweets in the Trestle Market retired and I took over his table.”

Leanne sells a wide variety of sweets and customers have the option of making their own bag from the pick and mix selection.

“It is going well,” she said. “I opened last Wednesday and have had a lot of regular customers come along as well as some new customers who have seen me on Facebook.

“On Saturday I had the town crier and mayor come and do an opening for me, which was nice.

“I have had cards wishing me well from traders and family and friends.

“Everyone likes sweets, young and old.”

Richard Gibson, aged 76, who runs his daughter’s stall, The Herb and Spice Co, said Leanne’s store has ‘transformed’ the market.

He said: “It is amazing. It encourages customers to come to the market. We now have children coming in. Like all markets, you need youth to come in and that is what is happening. Once the parents look around they see other stalls.

“Leanne has done an excellent job. She has the personality to make it work.”

Christine Henry, aged 76, of Leek Pet and Fishing Centre, said: “I am really pleased to see the stall open as it was closed for a good while. It looks as if she has put a lot of hard work into doing it. It is lovely.”

Jo Wilson, who runs The Rug Hut, added: “We now have no stalls empty. Leanne has taken the last one on the Butter Market. We do have Trestle tables but it is getting very close to full.

“We have spent a lot of money in the first quarter to try and get the message out that we are open. We are still here and we are open. The market has been open for 800 years.

“We have lots of young new traders.

“The market is starting to come back now.

“Markets are closing all around the country. We are not going to let this one go. There are so many services here. It is really useful.”

The Butter Market is open Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.