Slough town centre’s new weekly market should run for longer than a day, market traders have told the Observer.
The market runs every Tuesday on Slough High Street after launching a month ago on September 17 – an initiative by Slough Business Improvement District working with the council and Paylet Markets.
Traders say they’re already pleased with the way business is going – but would get a boost with more days and more advertising.
Chad, who sells crystal jewellery, said: “If they’re looking to pick up business around here one day’s not enough – it needs a couple more days, maybe three days.
“Slough people are very friendly. They’re very curious because they’ll come to have a look. But the time doesn’t suit everybody on a Tuesday.”
He added: “If someone wants to buy something from me and needs an alteration, they’ll give me a deposit but they’ll have to wait a week to get it. If there was another day they could get the same item in the same week which would be much better for them and for me.”
Chad also said that more events – such as the performances from buskers that accompanied the launch of the market last month – could also help promote the market and the high street.
Abid, who sells dried fruit and nuts, said his customers in Slough are very happy. He knows many of them already as they used to travel from Slough to Southall market in west London where he also has a stall.
He said: “Some of them are older people, some disabled people and they’re very happy we’re here now.
“They’re telling us if we can do weekends it will be even nicer because it’s busy. I tell them we’ll see if we can get permission to do weekends.”
And Mr George, who sells clothes, says business has been good but that customers have been telling him they’d like to see it more than once a week. He also said more could be done to advertise it.
He said: “A lot of people don’t realise we’re only here on Tuesdays. If they could put out some signs saying the market is every Tuesday people will notice.”
Other traders said it was still too early to tell how business would turn out. Lela, who sells charm bracelets, said business was ‘sometimes good, sometimes quiet’. She said she expected trade to pick up in November as Christmas draws nearer.
And Sunny, who sells electrical goods, said business was picking up. He said: “I’ll see how it’s going in two weeks. It’s a new market here so we’re still trying to figure it out.”
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