Nelson Market aims to impress ‘guru’ Mary Portas

10:25am Friday 12th October 2012 in News

GURU Mary Portas GURU Mary Portas

MARKET bosses are hoping to entice Mary Portas to an art and vintage sale which has been inspired by the self-crowned ‘Queen of Shops’.

More than 60 stalls will be clustered around the ACE Centre and Victory Centre to celebrate Nelson’s Portas Pilot Town status, from October 19 to 21.

The brainchild of Nelson and Colne College students, an invitation has been extended to the high street guru, who is backing a revival initiative which saw the town given £100,000.

Traders are bidding to tempt more students into their stores and the market is one of the first major efforts to rejuvenate the town’s shopping offer.

Kirsty Rose, Pendle Leisure Trust arts development manager at who has organised the market, said: “This is very exciting for Nelson and will definitely help to put the town on the map.”

Quirky wares, including hand-made jewellery, vintage clothing, artwork, hand-sewn soft furnishings, accessories, knitted babywear, photography and greetings cards are being lined up.

And live demonstrations of illuminated calligraphy, a photo booth and drop-in workshops teaching knitting, crocheting and renovating furniture are also scheduled.

Shoppers can also pop into the Pendle Open Art Exhibition at the ACE Centre over the weekend, which is being supported by traders and cafe owners. A witch-drawing competition is also being arranged by Pendle Witch T-shirts Limited, with the winner able to walk away with their own design printed on a t-shirt.

Coun Paul White, economic development cabinet member, said the market was a ‘key’ component of the Portas Pilot work.

He added: “There’s a very impressive line-up of stalls throughout the weekend and I’m certain Nelson will be buzzing with excitement. If it’s a success, it will return every other month.”

Comments (7)

12:56pm Fri 12 Oct 12

mavrick says...

Why is anybody taking any notice of the self crowned queen of retail? I have watched her on programmes on T.V This woman is on another planet with her prices. She has yet to deliver on her promises to rejuvenate town centres. I think Nelson should have a bit more courage and make go their own way.
Why is anybody taking any notice of the self crowned queen of retail? I have watched her on programmes on T.V This woman is on another planet with her prices. She has yet to deliver on her promises to rejuvenate town centres. I think Nelson should have a bit more courage and make go their own way. mavrick

3:13pm Fri 12 Oct 12

ROBERTSLUMDWELLER123 says...

should be a laugh!!
should be a laugh!! ROBERTSLUMDWELLER123

4:20pm Fri 12 Oct 12

HairyBowls says...

Good luck Mary Portas...you will need it lol
Good luck Mary Portas...you will need it lol HairyBowls

6:22pm Fri 12 Oct 12

I Love Nelson! says...

It is not Mary Portas who needs to be impressed; it is the people of Nelson who need to be impressed. £100,000 is a drop in the ocean of what is needed to help Nelson recover, and its residents are the ones who have been suffering from the effects of the neglect for so long.

Hopefully they (myself included) will be inspired enough to visit the market each day it is on and help make it the success we all deserve it to be. And perhaps then it will be first step on the road to recovery.

I Love Nelson!
Pass it on!
It is not Mary Portas who needs to be impressed; it is the people of Nelson who need to be impressed. £100,000 is a drop in the ocean of what is needed to help Nelson recover, and its residents are the ones who have been suffering from the effects of the neglect for so long. Hopefully they (myself included) will be inspired enough to visit the market each day it is on and help make it the success we all deserve it to be. And perhaps then it will be first step on the road to recovery. I Love Nelson! Pass it on! I Love Nelson!

8:48pm Sat 13 Oct 12

ron1946 says...

perhaps if the muslim population actually used the shops instead of cash & carry's it might help,have you ever seen one loaded down with shopping bags its as rare as seeing an asian digging up the road.
perhaps if the muslim population actually used the shops instead of cash & carry's it might help,have you ever seen one loaded down with shopping bags its as rare as seeing an asian digging up the road. ron1946

10:20pm Sat 13 Oct 12

coates warder says...

I Love Nelson! wrote:
It is not Mary Portas who needs to be impressed; it is the people of Nelson who need to be impressed. £100,000 is a drop in the ocean of what is needed to help Nelson recover, and its residents are the ones who have been suffering from the effects of the neglect for so long.

Hopefully they (myself included) will be inspired enough to visit the market each day it is on and help make it the success we all deserve it to be. And perhaps then it will be first step on the road to recovery.

I Love Nelson!
Pass it on!
think nelson has had enough money over the last few years thrown at it and the result .....nothing has changed .how about spending some of them millions in the rest of pendle...yes there is towns and life outside of nelson
[quote][p][bold]I Love Nelson![/bold] wrote: It is not Mary Portas who needs to be impressed; it is the people of Nelson who need to be impressed. £100,000 is a drop in the ocean of what is needed to help Nelson recover, and its residents are the ones who have been suffering from the effects of the neglect for so long. Hopefully they (myself included) will be inspired enough to visit the market each day it is on and help make it the success we all deserve it to be. And perhaps then it will be first step on the road to recovery. I Love Nelson! Pass it on![/p][/quote]think nelson has had enough money over the last few years thrown at it and the result .....nothing has changed .how about spending some of them millions in the rest of pendle...yes there is towns and life outside of nelson coates warder

11:28pm Sat 13 Oct 12

I Love Nelson! says...

coates warder wrote:
I Love Nelson! wrote:
It is not Mary Portas who needs to be impressed; it is the people of Nelson who need to be impressed. £100,000 is a drop in the ocean of what is needed to help Nelson recover, and its residents are the ones who have been suffering from the effects of the neglect for so long.

Hopefully they (myself included) will be inspired enough to visit the market each day it is on and help make it the success we all deserve it to be. And perhaps then it will be first step on the road to recovery.

I Love Nelson!
Pass it on!
think nelson has had enough money over the last few years thrown at it and the result .....nothing has changed .how about spending some of them millions in the rest of pendle...yes there is towns and life outside of nelson
Coates Warder says:
think nelson has had enough money over the last few years thrown at it and the result .....nothing has changed .how about spending some of them millions in the rest of pendle...yes there is towns and life outside of nelson



You are right; there has been a lot of money 'thrown' at Nelson on ill thought out decisions for changes that have had a negative impact on the business in the town.
The change that needs to be made now doesn't need more money throwing at it; it needs the residents of Nelson (myself included) to change our shopping habits and support our local shops and services, rather than spending our money out of town. If we can't use the town ourselves, how can we expect anyone else to want to shop here and how can we expect more businesses to set up here?
[quote][p][bold]coates warder[/bold] wrote: [quote][p][bold]I Love Nelson![/bold] wrote: It is not Mary Portas who needs to be impressed; it is the people of Nelson who need to be impressed. £100,000 is a drop in the ocean of what is needed to help Nelson recover, and its residents are the ones who have been suffering from the effects of the neglect for so long. Hopefully they (myself included) will be inspired enough to visit the market each day it is on and help make it the success we all deserve it to be. And perhaps then it will be first step on the road to recovery. I Love Nelson! Pass it on![/p][/quote]think nelson has had enough money over the last few years thrown at it and the result .....nothing has changed .how about spending some of them millions in the rest of pendle...yes there is towns and life outside of nelson[/p][/quote]Coates Warder says:[quote][p][bold]think nelson has had enough money over the last few years thrown at it and the result .....nothing has changed .how about spending some of them millions in the rest of pendle...yes there is towns and life outside of nelson[/p][/quote] You are right; there has been a lot of money 'thrown' at Nelson on ill thought out decisions for changes that have had a negative impact on the business in the town. The change that needs to be made now doesn't need more money throwing at it; it needs the residents of Nelson (myself included) to change our shopping habits and support our local shops and services, rather than spending our money out of town. If we can't use the town ourselves, how can we expect anyone else to want to shop here and how can we expect more businesses to set up here? I Love Nelson!

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