Norwich Market now online too!

Built and run by traders, the website www.norwichmarket.net, lists details of all the businesses trading on Norwich Market but also has a growing community of traders who’ve signed-up to offer online delivery and click and collect services.

From Friday 20 November, customers will be able to order goods – from beers and brownies, to fabrics, kebabs, soaps and churros – with just a few clicks. So far seven separate businesses on the market: And Eat It, Barry’s of Norwich, Churros for the People, Delight, Number 29 Soap, Sir Toby’s Beers and The Cuppie Hut have signed up to offer online trading – with more signing up.

Customers will be able to place orders through the website from tomorrow, as well as sign up to the mailing list, to be the first to hear when other traders come on-board.

Josh Worley – who not only runs fabric stall Barry’s of Norwich, is head of creative at web design company Elementary Creative – built and runs the website. He said:

“Since becoming a part of the market, and taking on the fabric stall back in 2018, I’ve been incredibly keen to help bring Norwich Market into the 21st Century, while also celebrating its 900 years of history, and I learnt very quickly that there were many other stallholders who shared this vision.

COVID-19 has presented enormous challenges for us all as a market, and so we wanted to set something up which allows us to really shout about our market, while also allowing customers to enjoy shopping at their favourite stalls from home and crucially, at a significantly lower cost to stall holders than some of the bigger order and delivery platforms.”

There’s also a section for traders to sign-up to the website, get edits made to their directory page, request blog or news posts.

Toby Westgarth, acting chair of Norwich Market Traders’ Association said:

“The new Norwich website gives traders, but especially some of those who have been forced to close, an opportunity to trade and this can be a life-line at this time.

Longer term, we hope this will be an asset to customers and traders who want to continue to buy and sell online even after we’ve all been able to return to the market and open our doors again.

It’s also been a really enjoyable project to work together with other traders on. While we’re separate businesses, we’re one community, and being able to create this together – with Josh’s expertise – has been lots of fun.”

Councillor Matthew Packer, cabinet member for health and wellbeing, with responsibility for Norwich Market said:

“The city is incredibly proud of Norwich Market – it’s not just an excellent shopping, services and food destination – it’s a well-loved iconic feature of the cityscape and has been for many, many years.

Norwich Market traders, like everyone, have really felt the effects of the Covid pandemic and the way they’ve worked so hard to keep customers safe, has been remarkable. I applaud the entrepreneurship of this new venture which shows their determination to adapt to these difficult times to help ensure the livelihoods of small business and supply the people of Norwich in quality goods.

I hope as many of you as possible will continue to support the market as you have been doing.”