MORE PORK PIES FROM BRITAINS FAVOURITE COUNCIL

2.15pm - Council Leaders pose for pictures to commemorate Britain's Favourite Market (But where are all the punters?)

Oh dearie me, Cllr John Taylor, who it seems is not only responsible for Markets, but now it appears he's also in charge of pulling the wool over voters eyes - because, surprise, surprise, in his haste to quench his insatiable thirst for publicity, he's yet again got most of his facts wrong, and the few that he's got right, you’ll find have been greatly embellished and carefully selected with regard to the recent success of Ashton Market.

Last week, the Reporter’s bold headlines announced that ASHTON MARKET HALL was voted ‘Best of British’ whilst in actual fact; ASHTON MARKET HALL was not voted ‘Best’ of anything - In fact it won absolutely nothing!

As you can clearly see in the blown-up picture, it was ASHTON MARKET who won an award, however it only won in one of the twelve award categories on offer and that was in the minor classification of: BRITAIN’S FAVOURITE MARKET.

Now readers might also be interested to know that in order for Ashton or any other town market to be eligible to win any of the honours in the annual Market of the Year Awards, Tameside council have had to splash out £954.00 annually, to remain members.

It is also the case that only someone who has direct involvement with the market; be it the market manager, a councillor, town centre manager or a market trader, can complete the entry form, indicating which  market they are nominating, which category and why.

The winners, by the way were announced at the NABMA One Day Conference which was held at the prestigious midlands venue, The Council House, Birmingham, where it commanded an attendance fee. It is not known how many Tameside councillors were thus treated, but as the chap responsible for Markets; one could be forgiven for thinking the career councillor from Globe Lane would not be one to be left out!

This year’s NABMA one day conference, which, it was reported as attracting a record audience to the Birmingham event, was sponsored by a company called KPR Midlink who, according to their web site, have built a reputation for delivering a quality service to UK local authorities for the provision of Computerised Payment Solutions.

Readers may also be interested to learn that the complete results for Market of the Year 2014 were as follows:

BEST LARGE INDOOR MARKET – ST GEORGE’S MARKET, BELFAST

BEST SMALL INDOOR MARKET – CHESTERFIELD INDOOR MARKET

BEST LARGE OUTDOOR MARKET – BILSTON RETAIL MARKET

BEST SMALL OUTDOOR MARKET – WIDNES MARKET

BEST PRIVATE MARKET – STRATFORD UPON AVON

BEST WHOLESALE MARKET – NEW COVENT GARDEN MARKET

BEST LOCAL COUNCIL MARKET – RIPPONDEN COMMUNITY MARKET

BEST SPECIALITY MARKET – EXETER CHRISTMAS MARKET

BEST SOCIAL ENTERPRISE MARKET – MARKET RASEN (MR BIG) MARKET

BEST MARKET ATTRACTION – BOROUGH MARKET

BEST LOVE YOUR LOCAL MARKET EVENT – WARRINGTON MARKET

BRITAIN’S FAVOURITE MARKET – ASHTON UNDER LYNE

Last week’s article also quoted the judge’s; and implied that it was the inclusion of Ashton’s Market that made it the most keenly contested event in the history of the competition.

In actual fact, according to the organisers, the online voting for Britain’s Favourite Market registered a record breaking 104,200 votes in total, with ‘a close battle’ being fought by three markets’ as voting moved to its conclusion. – Which means Ashton nearly lost out!

So, although well-deserved congratulations go to Ashton Market for gaining this award, it might be nice if the councillor with total responsibility for Markets wasn't so prone to politically embroidered exaggeration!