Broadway Market Pic: Aidan Brooks

Hackney Council, in conjunction with the charity Community Links, is holding a free market trading workshop for Hackney’s entrepreneurs.

The session, the first to be offered by the Council’s market services, is aimed at the borough’s increasing number of young entrepreneurs.

It will offer participants the opportunity to look at the possibilities of market trading and a chance to learn about visual merchandising, customer care, pricing, food hygiene, pitch costs, health and safety and other essential information.

Councillor Feryal Dermirci, Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods, said: “We have flourishing and vibrant markets in Hackney, as well as a growing army of entrepreneurs. I would thoroughly recommend this workshop to our enterprising residents.”

“Markets are an ideal, cheap and flexible way for new businesses to try out new ventures without having to make a risky investment in expensive premises. They are a great way to test consumer appetite for products and to change and adapt your business accordingly.”

The Council are encouraging more permanent and casual traders at the markets, especially those who trade in confectionery, stationery, cooked hot food, arts and crafts, toiletries, china and footwear.

In Hackney alone there are over 600 pitches in five markets, and in a bid to encourage more market traders, the licence process has recently been overhauled to make the application process more accessible.

The street marketing workshop is at The Tomlinson Centre, Queensbridge Road, Hackney, on 15 April, from 2pm to 5pm.

By Martina Melli