Market on the Green

The first lockdown saw the postponement of our much loved Market on the Green.  It was very sad to know that after all the hard work so many people had put in to getting the market back to a vivid, varied and well supported monthly event it would have to stop for the foreseeable future.

Bearsted Parish Council considered on many occasions during the summer whether it was right to bring Market on the Green back but felt due to social distancing and the restrictions on people gathering it was not the right for the council to endorse.

It was put on the Communication Committee’s agenda to consider the return of the Market on the Green for March 2021, this was before the current lockdown began. The committee did invite the Market Manager  to their meeting this week and she gave her view of how the market could be bought back safely at the right time.

The Market Manager reported that there are many restrictions in place at the current time; only stalls providing essential items can trade, no licenses are being given for the sale of alcoholic items, markets have to be fenced in with limitation on capacity on top of extensive hand washing and toilet facilities for both traders and visitors. 

The committee therefore did not feel it would be right to bring back the Market on the Green until such time that there is no limitation on the types of business allowed to trade, there was less restrictions on capacity and the UK lockdown had fully lifted. When this will be, who knows but Market on the Green will return and Bearsted Parish Council stay committed to ‘working with you to protect & enhance our village environment & wellbeing’.