Shoppers in Bolton were in for a treat this Saturday with the return of the popular monthly Artisan Fayre.
The market showcased a wide selection of home made and crafted offerings by talented makers from across the region.
Residents turned out to support independent artisans, some of whom were first timers in Bolton and others who return to the town each month to sell their wares.
Jonathan Hansen, of Cheshire Scrumptious, based in Knutsford, brought his homemade, traditional cakes and bakes to the market, which proved popular with punters who cleared out many of the donuts, scones and eclairs on offer.
He said: “I had a hospitality company during Covid but we ended up shutting down so I started up this on the markets just after Covid and it just took off, its been a bit of a godsend.
“This is the first time coming to this market, hopefully we’ll come every month.
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“I definitely want to try it again I think it would definitely be a very good market for us regularly, people have been very excited because I don’t know if there are many bakeries who do the things we do here.”
Johnathan is not the only maker who started their business during the pandemic, including stallholders Jane Bortis, of Jane’s Creations.
She tries to get to the market every month from her home in Preston and began making her hand-painted flower pots and window decorations during lockdown.
Jane, 62, said: “I started doing this in lockdown and since then I’ve started doing quite a few different designs and got a little bit better at it.
“That’s how I got started, and I just enjoy meeting new people [at the market.]
Other stallholders say their crafts are a way of improving their mental health and wellbeing, including 19-year-old Izzy Gallagher from Liverpool, who attended the market with her mum Diane.
She said: “I used to have bad mental health and I was trying everything to get it better, I tried crystals and got into them and it really started helping me.
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“I have social anxiety and I didn’t want to get a normal job so my mum said you should try selling crystals.”
Izzy started up Izzy’s Crystals around two years ago and she and Diane come back to Bolton every month.
The Artisan Fayre took place from 10am to 4pm in the Market Place on Saturday (April 13) and will return next month.
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