The Saturday Market
Every Saturday, the small town of Linbrook holds an open-air market in the square outside the old train station. The market started in 2015 with only twelve stalls. Today there are more than sixty, and around two thousand people visit it each week.
Most of the sellers are local farmers. They bring fresh vegetables, eggs, cheese and honey from villages near the town. Because the food does not travel far, it is often cheaper and fresher than food in the supermarket. One farmer says that her tomatoes are picked on Friday evening and sold the next morning.
The market is not only about food. There is also a corner for second-hand books, and students from the local college sell handmade cards and jewellery. In the middle of the square, there is a small stage for musicians. Anyone can play there, but they must book a time with the market office first.
The market opens at 7 a.m. and closes at 1 p.m. Many people say the best time to go is early, before the crowds arrive. Parking near the square is difficult, so the town has started a free bus that runs every twenty minutes from the sports centre.
Last year, the market won a prize for being the friendliest market in the region. The organisers now hope to open it on Wednesday evenings too, but first they need to find more sellers. They are also planning a cooking class for children, where young visitors can learn to make simple dishes with vegetables from the stalls.
