A Swansea Market trader has become a fan favourite after serving fresh fruit and vegetables to the people of the city for over 45 years.
Carol Jackson first started out as a young 12-year-old weighing potatoes and putting smiles on customers faces but today is recognised as one of the longest-serving faces of the market.
The 'Queen of the roost' first started out as a sales assistant for 'The Choice Is Yours', in a notably hustle and bustle decade of the 1970s and has become "part of the furniture" providing smiles and fresh fruit and vegetables to faithful Swansea shoppers. You can get more Swansea news and other story updates straight to your inbox by subscribing to our newsletters here.
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The award-winning Swansea Market has long established itself as a big city centre attraction. Despite some big name retailers like Next and Sports Direct choosing to vacate centrally, the market has stood firm throughout time. Known for its generations of families who both shop and work there, Swansea Market has also recently been given a new lease of life to encourage more people to go there.
Carol Jackson first started working there in 1972 at the age of 12, wanting to earn herself some money alongside her mother.
"I remember my first day like it was yesterday, back then the market was very busy and had a loud non-stop atmosphere. For a 12-year-old it was intense but I grew into it and started falling in love with chatting to customers and that side of it. We all look after each other in the market and everyone cares for each other, we are essentially one big family and I never wanted to leave" she said.
Sharing the success story on social media, fans of the market praised the side-by-side shot of Carol and her younger self with the market declaring "you've not changed one bit".
The fruit and veg stall - 'The Choice is Yours' - is one of the longstanding Swansea Market businesses with another member of staff also having served for 37 years.
"I haven't ever considered leaving, I guess I am part of the furniture now and don't see me slowing down anytime soon. I would be lost without it and the customers and other businesses in the market mean everything to me," added 61-year-old Carol.
Acknowledging the challenges brought about by Covid, Carol said the market had withstood the test of time.
"It isn't the same as it once was, shopping attitudes have changed but there is no experience quite like this, we have a laugh and joke with anyone who walks through our doors and you meet all kinds of people. I really would encourage people to visit the market as much as possible, you'll laugh and smile with some lovely local people," she added.
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