Merseyside is home to a weekly market that is steeped in over seven centuries of history.
Whilst many things have changed across the generations, Earlestown market, in Newton-Le-Willows, has remained a constant. Every Friday, the market at the heart of the town attracts visitors who are eager to get their hands on fresh food, household goods, clothing, accessories, trinkets and more from over 150 stalls.
Earlestown's economy has struggled somewhat in recent years, with the pandemic placing an even greater strain on footfall, among other factors. However, one part of the town which has continued to flourish is the market, one of the oldest in the country - dating back more than 700 years
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Despite this, many locals consider the heyday of the market to have been in the 1970s and 1980s, when hundreds upon hundreds of visitors would flock to Earlestown to visit the market- it would be more of a day out than just a shopping trip for many.
Pictures from a market day in this era show a sea of people gathered around the stalls, with many of the buildings in the background no longer standing. Some stalls from back then, such as Isherwood's, are still around today.
Bob Isherwood, 74, is one of the longest serving traders to have a stall on Earlestown market, with 2021 marking his 60th year in the town. The stall was started by Bob's father and now four generations of the family have traded at the market, selling everything from toys and household goods to artificial flowers and more.
Speaking to the ECHO previously, Bob said: "I left school early, I never went. I used to go help me dad out at Kirkby market and Ormskirk. When my dad passed away I carried on and now there’s four generations who’ve been here.
"It’s fantastic and when the weather is nice it’s a pleasure. When the weather is not nice it’s not so good but we take the good with the bad. It’s still a good old fashioned open air market that’s why we’ve been here so long.
"It’s hard work but I’ve done nothing else all my life. It’s one of those things, you keep on going."
Dave Malpas has run his stall on the market for twelve years, selling electronics, phone chargers, cases and accessories. Dave said: "The market is really important to the town. I think through the pandemic people realised this more, one of the first things allowed to open was the market because it is outdoors.
"A lot of people might have used the market for the first time and then continued because they liked it."
Dave also believes the whole town would suffer if the market were to be closed or downsized, he said: "It brings the footfall to the town, and people will want something to eat, a coffee, a pie, while they're out so they'll make use of the other shops and cafes."
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