A POPULAR market in Lampeter that relaunched under a new name with a new not-for-profit company formed to take over its running earlier this year, has scooped a national award.

The People’s Market, which relaunched as ‘Marchnad Llambed - Lampeter Market’, in August, has been running since 2012, and this week won the UK Slow Food Award for the Best Market in Wales 2021.

At the start of lockdown in March 2020 the market moved from its base in Lampeter’s Victoria Hall and re-located outside on the Lampeter Campus of the University of Wales Trinity Saint David.

Market Manager Dinah Mulholland said: “This award from UK Slow Food for the Best Market in Wales reflects our commitment to promoting the value of slow food instead of fast food, and to platforming the considerable range of talent, innovation and pure great taste in local food production in Ceredigion and in the Lampeter area.

“It also reflects our commitment to supporting the local economy through local food and craft production, which is key to our ethos.

“During lockdown many customers were relieved to be shopping outside as it felt so much safer.

“And through being outside, and in the centre of Lampeter, we have attracted many new customers and traders to the market.

“The university’s support, and the help of the local branch of Unite the Union who donated gazebos to help protect traders from hot sun or rain, has meant that the market has been able to continue trading consistently.

“As a result the market now has on average 20 stalls and the range of local produce and crafts has expanded.”