00:01Opening opportunities to local traders.
00:06It was all hands on deck for Medway Markets launch this weekend.
00:10Uniquely located inside a disused shipbuilding space at Chatham Historic Dockyard, it hopes
00:16to mark a return of the traditional market to the town.
00:19We're looking to bring local traders, the community all together, different cultures
00:24and just have a traditional market which we haven't had for years.
00:28People are often talking about Rochester and as a kid I went to it and all I remember
00:34was great times but there's nothing like that around here.
00:38We just want local traders who we know times are hard at the moment to hopefully trade with
00:44us for the future.
00:46Part of our role as mayors is to support new businesses in the borough, is to promote Medway.
00:52So obviously when we hear about opportunities where people are coming forward really to serve
00:57the community in this way.
00:58We're keen to help.
01:00Our high streets are struggling.
01:01So I mean we want people to be, not have to travel to get what they want really.
01:07So the wider the choice we can have the better it is and because this is at the Dockyard,
01:11this is just such a fantastic place.
01:13We want people to come here and to increase the offer on site is actually great.
01:18Well it's an early Saturday morning so I had to go and get myself a coffee from the Kent
01:21coffee shop to type me over.
01:24But as well as coffee there's food, there's vintage clothing, there's toys, there's flowers.
01:29There's actually 90 vendors signed up to be here today.
01:32This is a great opportunity for the handmade workers who live in Kent on Midway.
01:37This is a great chance to market your stuff, set and let the people know about it.
01:42I was scrolling like you do on social media and I saw the advert and I thought ooh a new
01:49market.
01:50So this is the first time for me in a very long time so I thought it's a good opportunity
01:56and a fresh start.
01:57I think being at the Dockyard and it's repurposing an old building and it's like bringing all the
02:07old elements together and reusing.
02:09The event also featured entertainment alongside family attractions and food stalls.
02:15The market plans to operate from 8am to 4pm on the first Saturday of every month with
02:20free entry and parking available on site.
02:23The organisers hope the market will be anchored into the community's calendar in the future.
02:29Chloe Brewster for KMTV in Chatham.
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