History
In 1199 a charter was granted by King John allowing a weekly market to be held in Morpeth. The market became known for the buying and selling of cattle, and by the mid-18th century, it was one of the most important cattle markets in the country.
From the 18th and early 19th century Morpeth was a thriving market town but In 1847 when the train station was built, life in Morpeth changed. Morpeth’s role as a market town declined as it was now easier for people to take their goods straight to Newcastle.
The 800th anniversary of the charter market was celebrated in 1999. The town lies on the River Wansbeck, 15 miles north of Newcastle upon Tyne and about 8 miles west of the coastal town, Newbiggin by the Sea.
In 2013, Northumberland County Council entered into a public-private partnership with the Sanderson Arcade, (nearby shopping mall) and with Morpeth Town Council who also contribute funding, for resourcing, developing, and promoting the markets. The partnership provided new blue & white stalls branded with the ‘More in Morpeth’ logo, and also commissioned the installation of stall anchor points on the Market Place.
September 2021
We visited the market as it is today on a beautiful sunny September morning. There were only nine stalls trading and three other empty erected stalls. What is a charming spot for a market was a little disappointing because of the lack of stalls. The ‘co partnership’ with the nearby shopping mall didn’t seem to be very effective to our eyes. There was no ‘promoting’ the market at all and having 3 empty stalls on a trading day is unacceptable for the traders who do attend.
On arriving in the town we did not see one sign, banner, billboard, or ANY signage advertising that the market was running, nor more importantly, where to find it. The majority of folk arriving into Morpeth would park in the North East of the town and walk through the shops and cafes on the same side of the town. To find the market, you either have to know it is there (it is on the South West side behind the mall) because it is not visible from the arcade until you are actually upon it. Very easy to miss if you don’t know it is on.
The stalls present today were:
- Pies
- Fish and Eggs
- Sausages
- Fruit & Veg
- Handbags
- Clothing (Dresses/tops)
- Pet Food
- Plants
- CBD Oil
We spoke with a few of the regular stallholders who were fairly happy with the level of trading. We loved talking with Elaine from Murphys Pie Kitchen whose pies were delightful! The Fruit and Veg man and the Fish man were charming too.
We didn’t stay long because there was not much else to see or buy, however as enthusiastic supporters of markets up and down the land, we feel that there really does need to be a ‘course’ on how to run a market effectively.
Our British small businesses rely on markets to sell their wares and to make an honest living. The people of the market towns that support their local markets also need to be catered for. Putting up some stalls and collecting pitch fees at the end of the day is not the way to run a market. That is taking the mickey out of the good folk who get up at the crack of dawn to get their wares ready to trade at a market. Everyone in the chain from stallholders to market managers to customers need to play their part if they want their local market to continue and thrive.
In order not to have empty stalls, communication needs to follow through to all responsible in the chain. In this day and age, with mobile phones and emails, there is absolutely no excuse to have empty stalls still visible on a market. That smacks of apathy and indifference.
Morpeth is an affluent town, with shops like Hobbs, M&S, Fat Face, Phase 8 and a clutch of independent boutiques. On the day that we arrived, the parking was full and the shopping arcade was buzzing with shoppers and tourists. Walk around the corner, and the market was dead. Why?
- visitors don’t know it is on
- visitors don’t know where to find it even if they do know it is on
- stalls not well managed or publicised
- not enough stalls (you can’t blame stallholders not coming if there are not enough customers to buy their wares)
- no hot food street seller – smells entice people to follow their nose!
We had a fabulous chat with Elaine, from MurphysPieKitchen telling us all about how business has been for them since lockdown.
| Pitch Fee | £20 |
| Contact for Stalls | Neil Brown: Neil.Brown@northumberland.gov.uk |
| Market Day | Wednesday /W |
| Market Times | 09.00 to 14.30 |
| Parking | Big car parks in town, not too far away |
| Facilities | In town so lots of coffee shops |
When this market is at full capacity, with lots of other stalls, this will be a lovely market, particularly as they have an excellent core of essential food stalls like Fruit and Veg.
Happy Trading!