Six months free trading up for grabs at Surrey Street market

This year’s Make Your Mark in the Markets competition has been split into two categories, giving traders who have been in business for less than six months a chance to win, as well as those with existing but still young businesses.

A total of 80 markets throughout the country are hosting stalls this year, with one shortlisted applicant per market given the chance to trade free for 10 days to prove their product has what it takes to sell.

Judges will visit each stall to assess sales, customer feedback and presentation before choosing two national winners, who will receive six months of free trading and £1,000 towards stock.

They will also gain free membership to the National Market Traders Federation and a business starter pack to help them hit the ground running.

Fiona Woodcock, Surrey Street market inspector, said: “We’re calling on people from Croydon with ideas, energy and drive to enter this exciting competition.

“This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for a local entrepreneur to test their idea for free and benefit from a host of expert advice and guidance.

“Markets are a popular choice for people looking for great value local products so they make the ideal launch-pad for new businesses.

“Anyone with innovative fresh ideas, commercial awareness and products or services that they feel will benefit the local market and attract customers should give it a go – you never know, they could be the next Marks and Spencer which famously started as a market stall.”

Graham Wilson, CEO of the National Association of British Market Authorities, said: “The markets industry desperately needs to recruit new traders, and the Make Your Mark in the Markets initiative is an excellent way of raising the profile of markets, while attracting new entrepreneurs as market traders.”

Anyone interested in the competition should visit enterprise.org/markets for an application form before the deadline of March 22.