A market that started off in a village pub's car park has grown into one of the biggest and best in Nottinghamshire.
Ruddington Market isn't the typical apples and pears and household linen kind of market.
Visitors will find anything from champagne to Russian pies and candles to cocktails amongst the 75 stalls that take over the village green each month.
Right at the very heart of the community, the market has just celebrated its third anniversary after being started by residents and local businesses belonging to Ruddington Village Community Partnership. The group was established following local greengrocer Thomas's shock closure after 33 years.
IT worker Mark Pinks, one of the market organisers, said: "We looked at ways of doing things in the high street or village that would bring visitors in and the market came from that."
Traders are so keen to get a pitch that there's 200 applications each month.
When first launched in February 2019, the market had 15 stalls in the car park of the White Horse pub, until the pandemic struck and the first lockdown in March 2020 which prevented markets from opening.
Sellers returned in July that year but set up their stalls on the spacious village green instead to allow for social distancing.
Mark said: "We had about 25 stalls but they were really spaced out and as things gradually eased and we're been more confident, we added more and more and reached where we are now which is about 75 stalls."
At the beginning organisers had to visit other markets and cajole stallholders into taking a pitch - now it's the opposite, with a huge waiting list.
Mark said: "In the early days we had to do a lot of leg work. We had to go out to other markets and try to sweet talk stallholders into coming and giving us a go. We were so blessed that some of them did and they stuck with us."
Beeston Brownies and Turner's Quality Bakers, in Cropwell Bishop, are amongst those who have been there since day one.
Primarily a food and drink market, there are also craft stalls in the mix.
Held on the first Saturday of every month, the next is tomorrow (March 5) from 9am to 12.30pm.
Visitors can once again look forward to Sheffield-based Russian Pies, which sells pies in a brioche casing in favours such as Moroccan, beef and onion, sea bass and cod, and chicken and chorizo, potato cakes and honey cake.
Sarah and Mark Anderson, the couple behind the Ruddington Arms and Next Episode in the village, venture outdoors each month, with sweet and savoury deli treats to take home and breakfast cobs because perusing all the foodie stalls can be hungry business.
Sarah said: "It is a fantastic event, well supported by the local community. It is amazing how it has grown over the years, from a few stalls to over 70 this month. The team that organise the market every month are amazing. It is a fun event to be part of."
There's always plenty of new faces too. This time around Stichelton Dairy will be making its debut introducing shoppers to its creamy blue cheese, and Betty Rose Bakes will have veggie and vegan treats.
Handcrafted cards and tea towels from Out of Ink Studio and baby clothes from Lil and Nottie are amongst the non-foodie stalls.
"People now come from all over. When we first started it was just Ruddington but we've had people from Leicester, Loughborough, Derby, Newark, Sheffield all over - it's regional now, " said Mark.
"We are so blessed with that waiting list, we can mix things up a bit so every month there is new people to keep it interesting and every time you come there is something new to see.
"We always wanted it to build and be a success but we never imagined three years later it would be the size we are.
"We encourage other businesses to come on board and add their own satellite events. The White Horse runs its own craft market on the same morning. We love how the village keeps adding to it in its own way. Being monthly it builds a sense of anticipation.
"It's always stressful when you get the bad weather. It's part and parcel of being an outdoor market. We've definitely become seasoned outdoor market operators now and have learned a lot of lessons."
Nikki Brown, owner of Brown Bird Bakery in Arnold, enjoyed a sell-out success when she made her first appearance last month.
Customers couldn't get enough of her cookie pies, brownies, rocky road and sponge slices.
Nikki, who does markets to widen her customer base, said: "Ruddington was really nice - it was a real community spirit. We have booked in a few more for the rest of the year."
She will be back again in April, once again joined by her eight-year-old daughter Millie. "She loves it. It's her favourite thing serving customers and giving them their change," said Nikki.
Villager Graham Wright, who runs the local website Ruddington.info, said: "It's a real credit to the organisers that in just three years it has grown into one of the biggest and most popular markets in Nottinghamshire.
"I’ve bought all sorts of items at Ruddington Village Market that you’d normally have to go further afield for - from local wines and jams to specialist foods and craft items. However, its intention has always been to bring footfall to Ruddington village centre, too - with our wide range of shops, cafes and pubs just a short stroll away. It really can be a complete 'Ruddy Good Day Out' for visitors and local residents alike.”
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