As part of an international campaign to encourage entrepreneurs to consider local markets as a home for their businesses, Middlesbrough’s Dundas Indoor Market is offering free trading spaces for a week in May.
People considering starting a new business, or switching to running a business full time, can apply for a free unit for a week’s trial period in Dundas Indoor Market, part of Dundas Shopping Centre, from 21 – 26 May, as the market’s contribution to the Love Your Local Market campaign.
Last year more than 1300 UK markets took part in Love Your Local Market and since the campaign started in 2012 more than 10,000 people have tried their hand at market trading and around 1500 new businesses have been created as a result. The campaign now runs in 18 countries.
The free week’s Love Your Local Market trial will follow the second Dundas Youth Market on Saturday 19 May when young people between the ages of 16 and 25 can apply for a free stall to sell products and services in this special market.
“The indoor market benefits from the Dundas Shopping Centre’s footfall of well in excess of 60,000 a week, in a warm and secure setting surrounded by 20 full time market traders, so it’s an ideal place to see if having a full time unit is right for you,” says Dundas Market Manager David Harris. “If it is, then we can offer an easy entry into full time trading with one of our Enterprise Units from only £60 per week rent all in.
“We are keen to encourage new traders, so I am afraid we won’t be able to consider any traders who have taken part in the week’s free trials in previous years.”
Part of the Dundas Shopping Centre, Dundas Market is the only indoor market in Middlesbrough.
Open six days a week from Monday to Saturday, it has more than 20 welcoming market stalls, including Sweet Corner, Jean’s Kitchen and Danny’s Family Butchers, selling everything from handbags to gladrags, furniture to fizzbombs, make ups to vapes, candles to mirrors, babywear to bhajis and low fat Chicken Shawarmas, as well as mobile phone and tablet repairs.
As well as Love Your Local Market and the Youth Market, Dundas Shopping Centre holds monthly Food and Craft, and Vintage and Handmade Markets, where traders can apply for a stall.
To apply for a free stall at Love Your Local Market, or to register for any other market, please visit www.dundasshoppingcentre.co.uk/events and fill in an application form or email david.harris@dundasindoormarket.co.uk.
If you would like more information about starting a small retail business please take a look at David Harris’s Top Three Tips blog for starting a business in 2018 at the following link – http://www.dundasshoppingcentre.co.uk/2018/01/04/top-tips-starting-small-retail-business-2018/