History

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Concept

In July 1998, Hampshire County Council’s Economic Development Office was approached by a local sheep farmer to start looking at the possibility of holding farmers’ markets in the county after she had seen them in operation in the America.

From this initial approach a Hampshire Farmers’ Market Working Group which included Winchester City Council, the NFU, Hampshire Fare, Trading Standards and Environmental Health was set up. This group met regularly to plan three pilot markets in Winchester as a trial for Hampshire, to test consumer demand.

Criteria for participation

The agreed criteria for participation were strictly enforced, with all produce grown, raised, baked or caught in Hampshire or within 10 miles of the border. No bought in produce or wholesalers were allowed. Trading Standards and Environmental Health closely monitored the project.

Three pilot markets were held in May, July and September with a fourth being added to respond to public and stallholder demand.

Research was carried out by students from Sparsholt College and the following figures were recorded.

May – 30 farmers and growers / 7,500 visitors
July – 49 farmers and growers / over 10,000 visitors
September – 58 farmers and growers / over 13,000 visitors

Government Approval

The Economic Development office were asked by the Cabinet Office (Performance and Innovation Unit) to use the Hampshire Farmers’ Markets as a case study for their Rural Economies Project, a report about which was submittted to Tony Blair in August. A Cabinet Office representative advised that of all the Farmers’ Markets starting up around the country, they felt that the Hampshire Farmers’ Markets in Winchester had the largest number of stallholdes and customers.

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