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Ruddington Village Centre Partnership
Phoenix Flowers will take part in the virtual market (florist Shelley Raisin pictured when the market was open)
Villagers missing their monthly market have decided to take it online with live pub tours, bouquet demonstrations and tips on cutting your own hair.
Ruddington Village Market, in Nottinghamshire, will be broadcast live on Instagram this month.
Organiser Mark Pinks said businesses would have 10-minute slots for demonstrations.
Business owner Alex Preston said it would help sellers keep in touch with customers.
The market will be hosted by Mr Pinks who will invite traders to join him on Instagram live on Saturday.
He said: “We were thinking what can we do to help market stalls and shops struggling with limited trading ability.”
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Graham Wright
Alex Preston and her husband Anthony run The Bottle Top in Ruddington
Mr Pinks, who is part of the Ruddington Village Centre Partnership which organise the markets, said: “A pub which has moved to takeaway will show us the beer cellar and behind the bar, and a cafe deli will be demonstrating how to make scotch eggs.”
He said as well as promoting stall-holders’ products, many of which are trading online or over the phone, “it is an interesting way to see how things work”.
And for businesses not able to trade, it is about helping them “keep on the radar”.
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Ruddington Village Centre Partnership
Black Cat Cafe will be demonstrating how to make scotch eggs
Mrs Preston, owner of The Bottle Top in Ruddington which sells food, craft beer and spirits, said: “A lot of people are missing the market, and obviously it is affecting trade.
“It is about keeping the local economy going, supporting traders, and getting supplies out to local people.”
Jen Walker, who runs The Split Screen Coffee Company and brings her coffee van to the market every month, said: “As someone who runs a small business, it is amazing.”
She plans to make coffee and do barista-style art during the virtual market.
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Tom Barnes
Jen Walker said it was a “creative way of letting everyone know we are still around”
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