Fifteen Years!— Headingley Leeds

Saturday 11 September is market day and marks fifteen years since the Headingley Farmers’ Market started! It was one of the first very public enterprises of Headingley Development Trust and acted as an important face for the new Trust. It has also fulfilled its mission to be a focus for the Headingley community. Some 1100 people turn out each month, buy good local food and meet their neighbours. It is run by volunteers, though stalwart young people from local schools, under market manager Ahmet Un, are paid to put up and dismantle the stalls.

Since it started the Market has faced some challenges, not least covid and having to close for two periods. Before 2020, it had only ever had to shut once, when the snow was so deep that we couldn’t put the stalls up and even the most loyal producers couldn’t get through. Throughout everything it has stuck to its founding ethos: the food is sold directly by the producer and it comes from within thirty to sixty miles of Headingley – though allowances are made for Mr Johnson’s fish and Lincolnshire Poacher cheese. Fifteen years on, some of the very first stallholders are still with us: Family Kardamakis, Swillington Organic Farm, Country Markets, Bondgate Bakery, the Organic Pantry and Church View Farm Eggs.

There will be celebrations on September 11th: the local band King and I will be playing and there will be a massive birthday cake to share (made by one of the stallholders – Melanie’s Chocolates). The market is held on the Rose Garden on North Lane from 9am until 12.30 with main celebrations at 11.00.