A STALWART of Barnard Castle Farmers’ Market has bowed out after 15 years.
William Ramsbottom has been a regular since first taking a stall at the monthly market in May 1995 to sell his range of hedgerow preserves. During his time as a stall-holder he has also served as market manager and as a member of the management group.
It was moving north with his wife Meg that prompted Mr Ramsbottom to switch from his career as a builder specialising in kitchens and bathrooms to foraging for fruit in the hedgerows near their home in Gilling West.
“It started in 2004. Basically, friends who were coming to stay tasted what I was doing and they were saying it's good enough to sell,” he said. “Katrina Palmer, the then market manager, said if I had a product to sell, I would get a space.”
Mr Ramsbottom turned up to his first market in an old 2CV car with just 12 products – a range that expanded during the next decade-and-a-half to 38. “My wife got a job at Glaxo and we moved up from London for that. I was a builder for more than 20 years and got fed up of travelling back to London.
“First of all, my interest was in marmalade, but then after walking round the hedgerows, I was seeing all this fruit go to waste,” he added. He also planted a small or-chard behind the family home and went on to enjoy success in the Great Taste Awards and World Marmalade Awards.
Mr Ramsbottom, 59, said any improvements he had made as a producer had been as a result of feedback from his loyal customers. He described his time as a stallholder as “swings and roundabouts” – never quite sure what the next market would bring. You never know how it is going to go. Sometimes the lower footfall will bring the best market because there is no window shopping,” he said.
“However, Barnard Castle is one of the best, if not the best, of the markets I do. It has the most loyal customers. “I have had some customers for the 15 years I have been here. Without them, I would not have had the gumption to carry on. They have made sure I kept up my standards and have asked me to do products I would never have thought of. It’s been a heck of a journey. I was the market man-ager, on the management group and we used to have the Taste of Teesdale at Raby Castle. We have a very good crowd here.
“I will miss many things but most of all it will be everyone associated with the market, whichever side of the stalls they stand.” In the coming months, Mr Ramsbottom’s hedgerow pre-serves will be available at The Orchard, in Horsemarket, Barnard Castle, or directly – email william@just-williams .com.
