Wigan Artisan Market: A Market With Heart
There are some markets that you turn up to, do your day, pack up and head home.
And then there are markets where you genuinely feel like you are becoming part of the local community.
For us, Wigan Artisan Market is definitely the latter.
We’ve been trading at the market at The Cotton Works for a while now and, honestly, it’s become one of those places that we really look forward to visiting.
The Cotton Works
First of all, what a venue.
The Cotton Works is based at the old Eckersley Mills site on Swan Meadow Road, and the building has been given a whole new lease of life.
The original Mill One dates back to 1884 and is Grade II listed, so there is a huge amount of history in the building. What I really like is that the renovation hasn’t tried to hide that history. The original industrial character has been retained, but it has been brought into the 21st century with some really impressive modern spaces.
The first phase of the development has now been completed, with the old mill transformed into a place for people to work, eat, drink, shop and spend time together.
There’s a huge food hall, independent food traders, a pub, offices, co-working space and plans for a rooftop bar and event space. There are also landscaped outdoor areas designed for people to relax, socialise and enjoy events.
And that’s what I think is so exciting about The Cotton Works. It isn’t just a building that has been renovated. There’s a much bigger vision behind it.
The aim is to create a whole new neighbourhood where people can live, work, trade, shop, eat and drink, whilst keeping the history and character of the old mill at the heart of it. That feels like a really positive thing for Wigan.
And then there are the people of Wigan...
I have to admit, I had a bit of a soft spot for Wigan before we even started trading there.
During my corporate career, I was based in Warrington and worked alongside lots of people from Wigan, and they were always lovely. Proper salt-of-the-earth people. Friendly, straightforward, hardworking and down to earth. The sort of people who would have a laugh with you, tell you exactly what they thought and get on with the job.
So perhaps I shouldn’t have been surprised by how welcoming the people of Wigan have been to us.
But I still am.
There is something really lovely about the support we get at the Wigan Artisan Market. People don't just come along once, have a wander around and disappear.
We now have customers who come back regularly. We recognise them, they recognise us, and it’s lovely to have those familiar faces coming to say hello and see what we’ve got each month.
For a small business, that means a lot.
Of course, selling products is important. We’re there to do business, after all. But those relationships with customers are one of the best things about doing markets.
Someone coming back and saying, “I bought this from you last time and absolutely loved it, so I’ve come back for another one” is pretty hard to beat.
And that’s what makes a market feel like a community rather than simply somewhere to sell.
Independent Street really do get it right
I also have to give a big shout out to the team behind Wigan Artisan Market, Independent Street.
We’ve done a fair few markets over the years and you can definitely tell when an organiser knows what they’re doing. Independent Street really do!
The events are well organised, there is always a great mix of traders and there is a real effort made to promote the markets and the businesses taking part.
Their social media exposure is particularly good. As a small business, getting your products and brand in front of new people is incredibly valuable and Independent Street puts a lot of effort into doing exactly that.
But for me, it’s not just about the marketing. It’s the people.
Everyone we’ve dealt with from Independent Street is friendly, helpful and genuinely approachable. If you have a question or need a hand, someone is there to help.
And that might sound like a small thing, but when you're a small business owner loading your car at silly o’clock, setting up a stall, spending the day talking to customers and then packing everything away again, having an organiser who makes your life easier makes a massive difference.
Good customer service matters. Really good customer service is something else. And Independent Street have that nailed.
We love coming to Wigan
So, all in all, Wigan Artisan Market has become one of our favourites.
You've got a fantastic venue with a really exciting future, a local community that genuinely gets behind independent businesses, customers who keep coming back and an event organiser that puts a huge amount of effort into making the whole thing work.
For us, that's what an artisan market should be about. Yes, we want to sell. Yes, we want people to discover our products. But we also want to meet people, have a chat, build relationships and become part of the places we visit. Wigan has definitely made us feel welcome.
So if you haven't been to Wigan Artisan Market yet, put it on your list.
Come and have a wander around The Cotton Works, grab something to eat, meet the makers and small businesses, have a chat and support some brilliant independent businesses.
And if you see us there, come and say hello. We’ll be the ones behind the stall, probably chatting away to someone and having a good old natter.
That’s how we like it.
