Inverness Farmers Market set to return for first time since coronavirus lockdown
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Organisers of an Inverness institution are looking forward to its return this weekend due to easing of restrictions.
The Inverness Farmers Market – which is always held on the first Saturday of the month – is set to attract more shoppers to the city when it is held in Eastgate on Saturday.
Debbie McBean, one of the market’s directors, said: “We’ve really missed it and a lot of our stallholders have been selling online. They have done extremely well but they are obviously missing the market.”
She said it gave them the opportunity to speak with their customers and sell them what they wanted face-to-face.
A number of safety measures have been put in place, which are aimed at protecting customers and traders, including stalls spaced 2m apart as well as transparent barriers at the stalls.
Mrs McBean said: “We are trying most of the stalls on one side with plenty of space between us and the M&S windows – so if they have to queue up to get into the Eastgate Shopping Centre they can be there.”
As well as regular stallholders there will be two new businesses in the city centre event on Saturday – Highland Boundary distillery and Rising Roots.
The market celebrated its 20th anniversary last November and it is expected there will be 17 stalls this weekend.
Mrs McBean said: “It’s an outside market and it looks like it’s going to be OK weather-wise.”
She said that, since the farmers market had temporarily closed, she had taken a lot of phone calls with people asking when they were hoping to return.
She added: “We were holding on until we felt it was safe. I am hoping there are going to be lots of people there.”
As well as stalls selling food and drink, other regular traders sell a variety of products including plants, pottery, skincare items, jewellery, furniture and crafts.
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