After celebrating its first anniversary in February 2020, and continuing as scheduled in March, Ruddington’s popular Village Market was then cancelled for April – until further notice – as the threat of COVID-19 Coronavirus loomed large in the UK.
Organisers Ruddington Village Centre Partnership (RVCP) decided to suspend the monthly event in the interests of public health and safety – even before the approaching pandemic prompted the Government’s closure of restaurants and pubs, such as market venue The White Horse – which would have made holding it impossible anyway.
However, for those already missing their monthly interaction with the market traders, there’s a treat in store this weekend. On Saturday 2nd May – when the next market should have been happening – those ‘real life’ grams and kilograms are to be swapped for ‘virtual’ Instagrams with some of its regular attendees!
Mark Pinks, of RVCP’s market team, who’ll be hosting the web chat, tells us: “After passing our milestone first birthday in February, Ruddington Village Market has been more of a success than any of us hoped, putting Ruddington firmly on the map and bringing so many people into the village once a month – so it was a shame that we’ve had to cancel the last few events.”
That got organisers wondering what they could do to continue shouting about both our village’s great independent businesses and regular market stall holders during the ‘lockdown’. “If we can’t bring them to the market, then we thought ‘why not use the magic of Instagram to go to them?'” says Mark. “We’ve hand picked a lineup of nine shops, cafes, pubs and stalls that we’ll be chatting to and going behind the scenes with, plus you’ll be able to comment and post questions in screen as we go.”
If you’re not already on Instagram, to join in you’ll first have to download the app, sign up and then log on from midday this Saturday 2nd May 2020 to ‘Instagram Live’ via https://www.instagram.com/ruddingtonvillagemarket/ – then just tap the Ruddington Village Market profile picture on your Instagram app to watch.
The planned schedule is:-
- 12pm until 12.30pm:
- Phoenix Flowers @phoenixflowersnottingham – Sally will be talking to us live from the Phoenix Flowers workshop, showing us the cold storage where all the flowers are kept, and showing us how to make a bouquet
- Black Cat Cafe @blackcatcaferud – Julie will be demonstrating how she makes here speciality Bombay Scotch Eggs
- Ruddy Fine Distillery @RuddyFineDistillery – Cheryl will be showing everyone how the still works and talking about their hand sanitiser (more details soon here at RUDDINGTON.info!
- 1pm until 1.30pm:
- The Split Screen Coffee Company @thesplitscreencoffee – Jen will be giving us a tour of her iconic VW camper van
- Ruby Rae @rubyrae3 – Paula will be talking the latest fashions live from her Church Street boutique
- The Frame Breakers @theframebreakers – Andy and co will be taking us behind the scenes to share some of the backstage magic, and maybe even show us around the beer cellar!
- 2pm until 2.30pm:
- Katie Derry @katiederry11 – Katie will be live from her studio, showing us her favourite and most popular works
- Fudge Glorious Fudge @fudge_glorious_fudge – we’re not sure where from yet, but Simon will be live with us, talking all things fudge
- The Bottle Top @thebottletopnotts – Alex will be joining us live from The Bottle Top to tell us all about the amazing work she and Anthony have been up to, and helping us round off the afternoon’s programme
Alex of The Bottle Top will be going “live” after 2pm
The above times are subject to change if necessary
Mark adds: “We’ve got no idea how well this is going to work, and it might be a bit rough around the edges, but it should be good fun! If it all works out, maybe we’ll do it again!?”
You can read more about Ruddington Village Market >>HERE<<.
