YOUNG entrepreneurs went stall to stall in Stratford at the weekend.
The National Youth Market, which celebrates young traders aged 16 to 30 who run businesses at markets, festivals, and fairs, set up on Waterside from Friday to Sunday.
More than 40 stallholders were selling everything from street food to arts and crafts.
But it was 19-year-old fruit and veg seller Robert Leicester from Warrington in Lancashire who was crowned the UK’s Young Trader of the Year by a panel of market industry experts.
National Market Traders Federation chief executive Joe Harrison said: “I would like to express our sincere gratitude for the support we received in Stratford when we staged our annual National Youth Market at Waterside, that beautiful setting at the side of the River Avon.
“Having already seen the popularity of the Sunday market held there we had confidence it would prove to be a great venue, but just how brilliant it turned out to be we could not have imagined.
“We were blessed with some excellent weather, a real boost to the skills and support we received from Stratford District Council, Stratford Town Council, and the market operators LSD Promotions.
“It was a pleasure to have the company of mayor John Bicknell and district chairman Chris Kettle, who not only opened the event and then spent almost three hours talking to all the young traders, but returned the following afternoon to join us at the prizegiving.”
“This was the sixth National Youth Market to be staged and without doubt the most successful, largely thanks to all the help we received not only from the councils and the operators — and just as importantly the support of the people of Stratford, who came out in force and really joined in the celebrations.
“They were certainly two days to remember — and we’re already looking forward to returning next year!”
