The Wednesday artisan street market in Rye next week will be the last. The traders, who meet at the Cinque Ports pub, say dwindling sales will mean an end to the market on February 26 after 14 years.
Susan Benn has been shopping at the Wednesday market ever since moving to Rye six years ago. Looking into the reasons behind the closure, she says she will miss the traders and their produce.
In past years at Stand Quay, Ryers will remember this market was full to capacity with traders who enjoyed a thriving business. When the Environment Agency began work on the river bank, the market traders were forced to find a new location. Our changing weather patterns were also a factor in the move to a more sheltered location.
With periods of heavy rain and high winds the markets had to be cancelled frequently, so the covered market in the car park behind the Cinque Ports pub seemed the right place to be. Some traders moved to this new location. Others left but new ones came, and during the Covid pandemic the market had its busiest period with queues every week.
The most loyal and steadfast traders all year round, in all weathers, over these past 14 years have been Darren of Sussex Smokers and Eric, the owner of The French Deli. Darren says the customers who came to the market during Covid gradually didn’t return. “They went back to their old habits shopping online or in supermarkets. The younger generation don’t have time to shop here on a Wednesday morning in Rye and there are other farm shops not so far away.”
Those of us who have so enjoyed our ‘old Wednesday morning habit’ in Rye will very much miss the friendly atmosphere and reasonably priced produce on our doorstep. We send many thanks to all the Wednesday market traders and especially to Darren and Eric for their loyalty to Rye for so many years. The good news is that you may well be seeing some of us again at the market in Brede which opens every Friday 10am - noon in the village hall.
