After a £1.8m revamp to "bring the market and shopping experience into the 21st century" a few years ago, businesses is going from strength to strength for some at Idlewells Indoor Market in Sutton in Ashfield described as "bustling" with a "beautiful atmosphere" by those who work there..
Traders who operate at the market have been speaking out after new stalls opened. From the Dream Catcher stall, the Bike Cafe, to the Time Watch Company and the Geoff Webster Bakery, so much can be found at the Idlewells Indoor Market.
Additions to the recently improved market are Love in the Mist which sells handmade accessories and a family business of Milly’s Footwear. The stall owners share what it’s like having a stall in such an 'amazing' market.
Deborah Goodwin, has owned Deboutique, a clothing stall for the past three years, she told Nottinghamshire Live that people are blown away by the market. She said: “It’s amazing actually, it’s got a beautiful atmosphere. A really bustling market. I’ve just celebrated three years, I opened before Covid and did really well. I decided to expand and make it a boutique shop feel.
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Deborah added: “I think people are blown away when they come to the market. We receive feedback from people all over - Chesterfield, Derbyshire and Newark. Fantastic butchers and bakery.
“It’s lovely to have had lovely shops open up. Love in the mist - makes all her own bespoke pieces. It’s a nice place to speak to other menders. It’s a nice place to shop - getting that customer rapport. It’s very dedicated, we all are here. We are a good team and community. “
Love In The Mist Accessories opened in November last year and owner Sarah Pemberton says it’s good to see the market full of stalls. The 38-year-old said: “It’s been good - been quite busy days and also quite quiet some. It’s nice to see it full and new stalls open. There’s all good feedback which is nice.”
Sarah has owned her business online for five years selling products, all handmade and eco friendly. This is her first time opening a shop for her business.
She added: "Getting regular customers and getting to know them. Lots of regulars that come in most weeks. Everyone is really friendly. Everyone is really nice, it's like a little family.”
The most recent addition welcomed to the Idlewells Indoor Market is Milly’s Footwear, which opened about three weeks ago. Shae Kerfoot, 20, whose aunt and uncle started the family business, told Nottinghamshire Live that the market gets lots of different people and that business has been good.
She said: “It’s been good, some days are faster than others. A variety of people here, diverse people with lots of different tastes. It’s nice. I work here but live in Mansfield. It makes me want to move to Sutton - it’s a nice place.
“[There's not a shoe shop around here] not like this, there's a shoe zone. A lot of people have come up and said that something like this was needed.”
A re-development of the existing Market Hall was carried out in 2018 to bring a new layout and new stalls. Now officials have welcomed more arrivals.
Councillor Jason Zadrozny, Leader of Ashfield District Council and Samantha Deakin, Councillor for Sutton Central and New Cross, visited Idlewells Indoor Market officially welcome Milly’s Footwear on their first day of trading, as well as visited Love in a Mist Accessories who joined Idlewells last year.
Councillor Samantha Deakin, Ward Councillor for Sutton Central and New Cross, said “It’s fantastic to see new businesses open and thrive in Ashfield. We will continue to support new and existing small businesses across the District. Idlewells is a bustling market, and we want to create a community hub that encourages people to visit, shop and socialise.”
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