Touring and Speciality Markets pilot scheme being rolled out in Mid Ulster
Mid Ulster councillors have welcomed the rolling out of a Touring and Speciality Markets pilot scheme, which they believe has the potential to add vibrancy and vitality to a number of localities throughout the district.
Speaking at the latest Development committee meeting of the council, Assistant Director of Economic Development, Tourism and Strategic Programmes, Fiona McKeown commented: “Well-created markets attract people back into towns and villages. There is an opportunity here to experiment with different types of markets.
“This originated from the Cookstown Town Centre Forum, in terms of the council having the market rights for Cookstown and trying to develop something around that market on a more regular basis, and also [to see] if there is a way to extend that across the district.
“The council agreed in April to fund the Touring and Speciality Markets to the value of £60,000 from this year’s 2026–27 budget.
“The second point looks at how we can do that. We are seeking approval to develop the Touring and Speciality Markets as a two-year pilot, 2026–27 and 2027–28, and, subject to satisfactory performance in year one, approval to continue the pilot into year two.
“[The relevant agenda] item is to approve, in year one, the locations and Cookstown with a minimum of two markets, and one market proposed for Coalisland.
“In year two, a minimum of three markets in Cookstown, with other areas to be identified prior to moving into year two.
“[The next] Item relates to the Christmas marketing campaign. As in previous years, we are seeking approval for the Christmas campaign, based on a ‘Home for Christmas’ theme, at an approximate cost of £10,000 from the Economic Development budget.
“[Another item] relates to the Maghera town brand. Approval is sought for the adoption and consistent use of the brand and strapline in future marketing campaigns, merchandise and town-centre events.
“[The next item] relates to town-branded jute bags. These bags carry the brand of the town. There is a continuous process of trying to renew the bags as they get dilapidated at end of life.
“We are [also] seeking approval for a budget in the region of £40,000 to purchase and supply branded bags for a number of Mid Ulster’s largest towns.
“Council previously approved £30,000 for branded merchandise following the completion of the Maghera town brand, and a portion of that will also be attributed to bags also. A unified procurement approach will be used to ensure value for money.
“[The next item] seeks approval for officers to obtain competitive tenders from suitably qualified companies. A tender report will be brought back for information.”
Proposing approval of the report, Councillor John McNamee (SF) commented: “I welcome the Touring and Speciality Markets pilot. Members will be aware the council acquired the Cookstown Saturday market rights in April 2021.
“This is something that the legacy council had tried to do a number of years before that, but wasn’t able to do it.
“The reason was that while the Cookstown market was very successful in its own right, in recent years it had become very poor, with a small number of poor quality stalls. Some people were calling it a ‘Nutts Corner’ type market, which wasn’t very attractive.
“A scoping study was commissioned and presented to DEA members and the Town Centre Forum.
“Outcomes included Council to develop their own governance arrangements and different proposals to try and rebuild the market.
“This would have involved attracting quality stalls, artisan-type, farmers and themed markets at different times of the year.
“Hopefully we will have our governance arrangements approved in the not-to-distant future.
“On the Cookstown Place Shaping Plan, one proposal is a Saturday market.”
Seconding Cllr McNamee’s recommendation, Councillor Nuala McLernon (SF) commented: “I welcome the inclusion of Coalisland in the Touring and Speciality Markets pilot. This has been raised time and time again, and indeed this is something I have highlighted previously in different forums.
“I am pleased to see it coming to Coalisland and I know it will be warmly received. I look forward to seeing that pilot rolled out.”
Councillor Frances Burton (DUP) mentioned Aughnacloy, which used to have a strong market tradition: “On the Aughnacloy market, can this be facilitated within this?
“When I [moved] to Tyrone 30-plus years ago it was amazing, you could have got anything at the market, and it has gone down now to batteries and mats.
“Aughnacloy has a really fabulous wide street, so it really is the best town to facilitate a market.
“Back in the day (…) the main street was packed, and I would dearly love to see it back to that again.
“Dungannon farmers’ market at Tesco’s, they do have a great following now and it would be really important to make sure that people still attend it.
“Way back, I think Fivemiletown had a market in the back car park, but there were issues with that, so I don’t know if it’s worth talking to the chamber of commerce or the development association.
“I know Coleraine Council really facilitate market traders. If someone is coming with food, they need to be able to link into electric for fridges and things like that.
“So, I don’t know if it’s something that we as a council could look at, to ensure that those who are willing to come and spend their day there, it’s a viable option for them to keep their produce fresh.”
Councillor Malachy Quinn (SDLP) was pleased to note that Coalisland had been included on the market ‘touring route’: “It’s fantastic to see that Coalisland will be getting one of these events. I always had the idea of a continental market in Coalisland.
“I think the way the town is designed is absolutely perfect for an event such as that, and I know the local community will be really looking forward to it.
“So, I’m looking forward to seeing more details come out in the future. But certainly, I’m very happy to support that.”
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Councillor Trevor Wilson (UUP) referred to the continental market in Cookstown, which he felt could be improved, saying: “The continental market comes to Cookstown and it attracts thousands of people every year.
“But I’ve had a lot of complaints this year from the traders from the Burn Road to the old post office on both sides of the street, where they lose out because the crowd don’t go that way. Maybe we could look at how we set out the stalls as well.
“Following on from Cllr Burton’s comments about providing free electric and whatnot, on a Saturday we have stalls there that use generators and various things like that, and if we started to do that on one Saturday, I think we’d be caught having to do it every Saturday.”
Councillor Gael Gildernew (SF) also remarked on Aughnacloy’s history in hosting markets, saying: “I would also like to see some of the markets coming to Aughnacloy. It is a market town and it would be good to support that.”
Concluding, committee chair, Councillor Córa Corry (SF) said: “On the markets as well, in my own area of Ballinascreen, we used to have a really popular market on Fridays as well.
“There’s still the sheep and cattle sales and maybe the odd stall, but it would be great to see something back like that as well, so hopefully there’d be a good spread of areas.”