Cirencester Farmers’ Market celebrates its 20th Anniversary on Saturday 14th September.

To celebrate this landmark, Simon Smith and Lord Bathurst, who started the first Farmers’ Market on Saturday 11th September 1999, will be in attendance.

The day is set to be full of lots of locally made produce to sample and buy, music and live broadcast from Corinium Radio, cooking demonstrations from local award-winning luxury cake maker Aggy Dadan, and free birthday cake for all.

The Farmers’ Market movement started in the UK in the 1990s as a result of poor farm prices, leading to many family farms needing a viable local route to market their produce.

With the objective to provide a retail opportunity for small local farmers to sell their produce, Simon Smith and Lord Bathurst established the Cotswold Farmers’ Market Association and, on the 11th September 1999, Cirencester embarked on their first Farmers’ Market which was located next to the historic Cattle Market.

Twenty-two nervous stallholders staffed their pitches and Cirencester Farmers’ Market was born. Some of those initial traders, like Easy Bees, still attend today.

The Farmers’ Market moved into the town centre in 2002 and local business owners are full of praise for the event.

Lucy Cordrey from Corinium Ales said: “We could not have had the face to face direct customer experience without it – the market played a huge roll in building our local customer base and presence and is where we launched our business 7 years ago.

“Markets are great launching pads and places for your product to be seen, even if not a lot is sold sometimes, you never know who is browsing!”

"I've been a stall holder for more than five years,” said Kate Birch from Plenty Pies.

“I've always really enjoyed doing the market and am fortunate to have lots of loyal customers who love our pies! The mix of local residents, day trippers and holiday makers visiting the market keeps it vibrant and worthwhile bring a part of."

Joanne Dalton Jones from S J Flowers added: “Initially it was about meeting and serving the local community and welcoming tourists to Cirencester but over the last four years our customers have become friends.

“When they come to the Farmers’ Market, our customers know what they are buying and that it has been sourced properly and that they are supporting local trade.

“The quiet chit chat in the morning as the traders set up, followed by the gorgeous odours of all the different foods cooking is amazing. It is the best therapy to be a part of such a lovely group of people, both traders and customers.”

In 2012 a team from Cirencester Town Council took over the management of the Farmers’ Market and in 2018 they were awarded the title of Market Team of the Year by the National Association of British Market Authorities (NAMBA).

The Farmers’ Market continues to be held every 2nd and 4th Saturday of the month.

Other markets include an Arts and Crafts Market on the 1st Saturday of each month, historic Charter Markers every Monday and Friday and plenty of speciality markets and events throughout the year.

Join in the celebrations on Saturday 14th September – official opening takes place at 10.15am with a ceremonial cutting and sharing of the cakes at 11am.