Couple’s excitement at bringing a farmers’ market back to Berwick

More than 20 food producers – some from the town, others from Scottish Borders towns and villages and elsewhere in Northumberland – have already agreed to attend the first one.

Starting on April 10, the market will take place on the second Sunday of every month at Conundrum Farm from 10am to 2pm.

A farmers’ market that was held at The Maltings ended a decade ago.

The organisers are Simon and Debbie Rutherford, the husband and wife team behind the first micropub in Scotland (Rutherfords) that opened in 2015. They sold it last year.

They now run a large mobile bar and will be trading at the market with their DeliQuescent range of specialist microbatch spirits and cocktails.

Debbie said: “We live just over the border (Scotland side) and we’ve been attending farmers’ markets for about five years in the Borders and Northumberland area. In that time, we’ve got to know many of the stallholders.

“It then hit us one day – why isn’t there a farmers’ market in Berwick? People enjoy going to them as they know they are supporting local producers.

“We think a working farm is the perfect location for such a market and after deciding to look into setting one up ourselves, we contacted the family who run Conundrum Farm as we’ve known them for quite a long time.

“They were really up for it and this is just one example of the fantastic support for the event.

“Quite a few food and other businesses have already said they will be coming along and Neil Brown (markets manager at Northumberland County Council) has been very helpful.

“We’re looking forward to the new market getting underway and we’re excited about putting it all together as we have experience of organising events – for example, a two-day Classic American car show in Kelso.”

A range of meats, including fish, vegetables, dairy products and drinks will be available, as well as other items such as candles, crafts and flowers.

A website for the market is in the process of being established. It is set to be up and running soon.