Tunbridge Wells Markets and Fairs By Carolyn T Gray
As we approach 2014 and 100 years since ‘the Great War’, one thing to reflect on is a change in our shopping habits. One hundred years ago there was a weekly Saturday market the length of Calverley Road. The market started at exactly one pm and went on into the evening, with stalls and barrows outside the rows of shops. All manner of goods were available, from clothing to jellied eels! This was the place to do your shopping when you had received your week’s pay, and then retire to one of the public houses for a drink or two.
Before Royal Victoria Place opened twenty one years ago, there was an open market in a car park off Victoria Road. Building RVP changed the road layout, and a proper Market Square was built. A traditional weekly market continued running on Saturday and Wednesday mornings, selling food, plants and sundry items. However the out of the way location proved to be against the market, and it closed; now the Market Square is mainly used as a short cut or meeting place. The market idea continues inside RVP, with a range of stalls around the malls, tempting shoppers with such things as flowers or soap.
Tunbridge Wells Borough Council set up a Farmers Market in 1999, open every other Saturday in Civic Way, featuring local produce. On the alternate weekends The Pantiles hold their market, with stalls along the Upper Walk. There will be Christmas Markets on the 21st and 22nd of December this year.
Markets and Fairs continue to thrive indoors, especially at this time of year. One which is long established is the Antiques and Collectors’ Fair at King Charles Hall, Warwick Park. In December the Fair is on Saturday 14th December, and the following one will be 8th February. Don’t be put off by the term ‘Antiques’, there are lots of other interesting finds, from old postcards to solid silver spoons, with many retro and vintage treasures. King Charles Hall, and Trinity Theatre, are also the homes of local craft fairs, giving you the chance to support local arts and crafts.
Seasonal fairs abound, at village halls and schools. On Friday 6th and Saturday 7th December visit the Penshurst Christmas Market a mix of fundraising, shopping and music. Now in it’s third year, there is also free entry and parking. The Ice Rink at Calverley Grounds will offer food, drinks and crafts from it’s chalets – look out for food retailers from our twin town of Wiesbaden from Friday 13th to Sunday 15th of December. We are now all familiar with the looks of German Christmas Markets, let’s hope this year we can do a little bit of ‘shop local’ and enjoy our own markets like the good old days!
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