Bolton: Market Place holds record fair and summer market

The events took place between 10.30am and 4pm with a range of exciting stalls on offer.

One of the most popular aspects proved to be the extensive stalls stocked full of vinyl records, ranging across all kinds of genres and era.

Stall holder Steven Meekings said: “It started slowly this morning, but it’s picked up into the afternoon.

Steven Meekings of X Records (Image: Newsquest)

“There’s a lot of people who aren’t really aware of the record trade, so it’s been really good having people come in and, in some cases, buy their first record here.”

He added: “We’ve had 12 or 13-year-olds in some cases who might have to ask their parents what a record actually is but then they come away with their first one.”

Some of the Summer Market stalls (Image: Newsquest)

Mr Meeckings runs X Records on Bridge Street in Bolton town centre and says that part of what he enjoys about the event is making people aware of his shop and about the rich culture and heritage surrounding the record trade.

This includes regular Northern Soul events and new releases from home grown punk bands on independent labels associated with record shops.

A selection of band badges (Image: Newsquest)

As well as a vast array of records, customers were also able to see a specular collection of band badges and crests on display.

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Aside from records, the event also played host to a range of summer market stalls, in an event run by Small Street Markets Ltd, with goods ranging from locally produced artwork to crafts and pastries and other kinds of snacks.

This was also aimed at all the family, with activities for children and entertainment provided by radio station Bolton FM.

Art works on display (Image: Newsquest)

The stalls found their spaces alongside larger chain outlets, eateries and leisure venues that the Market Place is known for hosting, while the record fair took centre stage in the centre of the shopping centre’s ground floor.

All of this was held at the town centre shopping centre with the aim of supporting smaller businesses from across the community by opening them out to a wider audience.