A couple of minor setbacks

Inspired by our trips to Brighton Street Market and Brighton Farm Market at the weekend I decided to email them both along with nearby Lewes Farmers' Market to see about joining as a stallholder.  I've already started planning how the stall would look, which material to use in the homemade bunting to hang around the table and was getting really excited as this would be the first step in making our bakery dream a reality. 

I had a very nice email back from John, the organiser of Brighton Farm Market, but unfortunately they are completely full although he has put my details on the waiting list and will be in touch when they have some availability.  He had gone to the trouble of reading my blog and also gave some advice about ensuring we have a good mix of traditional favourites and also some more unusual seasonal cakes.  So while it's disappointing not to be able to get into the market just yet, it's good to know that our plan was going in the right direction and we're now firmly on the waiting list.

Then two days later I had a reply from Brighton Street Market to say that there are no vacancies there either and they already have 5 stalls selling brownies and muffins.  Oh dear.

There's still hope though - the lady at Lewes Farmers' Market is going to send me an applicaiton form (I need to chase her up on it though as it's been a couple of days!) and I know there are plenty more markets in Sussex that we can try.  In the meantime we'll just have to spend lots more time recipe testing!

Market research part 2 - Brighton Farm Market & Brighton Street Market

Saturday was a gloriously sunny day down here in Brighton so Melissa and I decided to take a stroll along the seafront into town to check out the Brighton Farm Market that runs every Saturday in Brighton.  On the way there by accident we stumbled across the Brighton Street  Market right in the heart of the North Laines. 

The Brighton Street Market is a hotchpotch of different stalls selling everything from buttons to vintage clothes to antique furniture with a few food stalls thrown in for good measure.  It has a real ramshackle charm and would be a good place for us to start up a bakery stall as it's less intimidating than some of the other farmers' markets we've visited.  There are a couple of other stalls selling similar items such as brownies and muffins so we'd have to think of a way to make us stand out from the competition if we were to go for this one.  Before we left I sneakily clocked the number of different treats that were for sale at the stall most similar to the one we're planning - 13 - with an average price of around £1.50.

After a short detour to feed my flea market addiction we then made our way to Brighton Farm Market.  A much more structured affair than the previous market, and with plenty of exciting looking food stalls arranged around Diplocks Yard this is a real foodie's dream.  The stallholders have all really taken care to display their goods in an attractive and interesting way which is a great plan to get people to stop and take a look.  This was really a step up from the Brighton Street Market and something Melissa and I would love to aspire to. 

We spoke to the lovely lady behind Baked Bliss, who sells organic cakes and baked goods.  Her bakewell bars were too tempting so I bought one while Melissa eyed up the last huge slice of carrot cake.  And the bakewell bar was really really good.  Darn it!  And it was made with homemade jam using fruit from her garden.  Double darn it!  There goes my trump card as that was exactly one of my plans.  Hmmm if we decide (and are able) to get a stall at the Brighton Farm Market then she would be major competition.  It would be easier if she wasn't so nice to go with it!  While we were talking, again I clocked the number of items she was selling (13 again - it must be lucky for some) and spied a good tip that she keeps her tasting samples in a tin for people to try, rather than having them laid out at the front.  I like this idea because it means less lost profits and also encourages interaction with the customers making them more likely to buy.  I'll be stealing that idea!

We also picked up some delicious local cheese from The Cheezerie (I know we're unemployed and can't really afford it but my homemade biscuits were crying out for some cheese to be eaten with) and then decided we had better leave before we spent any more of our life savings on the lovely things available at the market :o)

Until next time, happy baking x