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Turnip and go – farmers’ market moves to station

Posted: 21st March 2018

Dumfries station will be transformed into a farmers’ market in the coming weeks.  Local producers will be given space under the canopy in the station car park when the Dumfries Farmers’ Market relocates from Lockerbie Road on Sunday, 1 April 2018.

The monthly event is the largest local food market in the south of Scotland, and up to 30 producers will be setting up their stalls under the Victorian pavilion next to the station building.

On sale will be a wide variety of locally-produced food and drink, including locally reared meats, pies, soups, baked goods, and locally produced drinks.

Dumfries Farmers’ Market has been based at Tarff Town & Country on the Lockerbie Road since it launched in 2011. The first market at the new location will take place on 1 April, Easter Sunday, and organisers hope the relocation will make the market more accessible to local people.

The arrival of the market is the latest in a number of initiatives for customers in the south west of Scotland.  In December, the ScotRail Alliance introduced ten new daily services between Dumfries and Carlisle, boosting the number of seats available to customers by 1,500 each day. A food and drink service was also introduced for services between Glasgow and Carlisle via Dumfries, creating 15 new jobs.

ScotRail Alliance Station Manager Heather Collins said:

“We’re building the best railway that Scotland has ever had – and supporting the communities along our routes is a key part of this.

“We’re confident that hosting the Dumfries Farmers’ Market at the station will deliver a great deal for local producers, as well as for our customers.

“Where else can you buy award winning pies, sticky toffee puddings, freshly roasted coffee, and local ales while you wait for your train?”

Dumfries Farmers’ Market Chair Sarah Burchell, said:

“Over the past couple of years customers have been telling us that they’d prefer a more central location and the station gives us exactly that, putting us within walking distance for many people and providing a degree of weatherproofing from the elements too.  So the time is right to bring the market closer to the people of Dumfries.

“We are delighted to be working with the station and we look forward to creating an exciting farmers’ market experience in Dumfries; one that focuses on quality, provenance and accessibility of local produce.

“It’s the shopping experience that makes farmers’ markets so appealing, and getting the right venue is an important part of that experience. We’ll be focussing on providing a curated mix of food and drink, including some streetfood, available for customers to buy direct from the producer in a comfortable and accessible location.”

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