Mighty Mariner put big smiles on the faces of traders and shoppers at Grimsby’s Top Town Market when he popped in to see how GTFC’s new stalls were shaping up.
Tomorrow (Tuesday 3 November), people will be able to buy their favourite Grimsby Town goodies at one of two new Town market stalls. However, after just a day of trading, GTFC will then comply with lockdown restrictions and shut the new retail unit until re-opening in early December.
Providing the Government lifts its month-long lockdown on 2 December, the stall will be full of GTFC top selling gifts in the run-up to Christmas – the always-popular shirts will be on sale, along with hats, scarves, festive GTFC face masks and more. The 2021 calendars are soon due to arrive ready for December re-opening.
Meanwhile, work continues on the opening of a second stall opposite the new retail outlet that will promote the work of the Grimsby Town Sports and Education Trust – a registered charity that serves to support hundreds of young people in the community.
After giving the shiny new stall the thumbs-up, Mighty Mariner took a COVID-safe look around the market, which is part of Loyal to Local – a joint North East Lincolnshire Council and E-Factor campaign to promote and support local businesses, especially during the on-going pandemic restrictions.
Using one of the many hand sanitisers around the indoor venue, he followed the arrows, which are marked on the floor to guide people around safely. With his whole head mask firmly on, he was exempt from wearing a mask, but was pleased to see that everyone else was following the necessary COVID precautions and had theirs on.
For Carl’s Meats’ stallholder, Carl Tong, the GTFC stalls are welcomed on the market and he was delighted to meet ‘Mighty’. “I have been waiting to meet him for years,” he said.
Over the last few months, Carl has continued to serve regular customers – offering a drop-off service for those most vulnerable. As an essential-item stallholder he, and others like him, can continue trading during lockdown with all other non-essential traders re-opening in December for customers to enjoy safe indoor market shopping.
Set to visit the Town’s Education and Sports Trust stall post-lockdown, GTFC manager, Ian Holloway, said: “I can’t think of a better place for Grimsby Town to have a stall. Top Town Market will be familiar with so many of our loyal fans as a place to shop, to meet people and to have a friendly chat.
“There is no better time either for our club to be doing what it can to support our local community and the retailers within it. Once the lockdown is lifted, we will have a great outlet for people to visit and we hope it will also provide another reason for shoppers to go to the market and see what else is on offer for them there.”
With discounted stalls available for rent – as little as £35 a week for a small kiosk to trade on the opening days of Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays – Councillor Philip Jackson, Leader of North East Lincolnshire Council, said: “We have a great local shopping facility here, where people can browse in a COVID-Secure environment, with plenty of space and opportunity to support local businesses and now is the time to show that support. The market will continue to remain open over the next month for essential purchases and then fully after that.”
For more information on Top Town Market, please contact Property Services Manager Lindsay Sands on (01472) 323237 or email [email protected]
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