Christmas is Coming at Coleshill Country Market
Christmas is Coming – and Coleshill Country Market, which next year celebrates its 50th anniversary, is inviting everyone to come in, place their Christmas orders and browse the range of goodies on display. The Market is are open each Friday morning from 8 until 11.30am at the Parish Room, 132 High Street, Coleshill. We now offer a range of sugar-free fruit cakes, plus flour-free and gluten-free treats, like chocolate roulades, meringues and cakes. The seasonal produce includes home-made Christmas cakes, with or without icing, holly wreaths, stained glass, Christmas tree decorations, mince pies, quiches, sausage rolls, speciality pickled onions, chutney, cards and hand-crafted jewellery plus the normal range of baked goods, free range eggs, preserves and local honey.
Our gifts for babies and children, include an exquisite crocheted pram cover made by Jean Thomas who also created a gorgeous shawl for the new-born Prince George. New producer Sue Lappin is an expert cook and needlewoman who has knitted colourful hat and glove sets for children and has even fulfilled an order for a set of leg-warmers for a chilly gentleman. She has also designed and knitted scarves which slot snugly round the neck.
Our cosy pullovers and cardigans for men and women are proving popular and make great presents as do our unique hand-turned woodwork pieces and items of jewellery, including sparkly bracelets, some already in gift boxes, for around £5.
Not sure what to give at Christmas? Fill a hamper with treats of your choice from the Market. Local delivery available. Place your orders for our home-baked Christmas goodies, gifts and party food very soon. You can order in advance then collect on or before our last market of the year on Friday, December 21st. The Market producers then take a well-earned Christmas break until the last Friday in January, 2019 and during that time they will be getting in the Seville oranges to make an entire year’s supply of orange marmalade.
“The Country Market’s a really friendly place,” said Christine Jones, the only remaining member of the group who founded the market back in 1969. “We enjoy getting together and making our customers welcome – from young mums with their babies to elderly people, often living alone. The same customers come back week after week as everything is high-quality and home produced. This week, for example we had wonderful large barn eggs and duck eggs, trays of colourful winter pansies plus a real variety of different specialist marmalades, chutneys, jellies and jams including strawberry, apricot and gooseberry Sue. Lappin’s cheese scones, made that morning, literally went like hot cakes. We’re delighted to be supplying a variety of cakes to the new monthly tea-party for Coleshill residents inaugurated by Councillor Adam Richardson, next year’s Town Mayor.
If you’re a keen cook or gardener and interested in becoming one of our producers you can join the market for just 5p. Everyone is paid for what they sell at the end of each month after we have taken a small fee to cover the cost of running the Market. At the first market we had, back in 1969, in pre-decimal days, we took £29 – 12 shillings and 11 pence from 20 producers – and I took just 18 shillings which was a lot of money then.”
Anyone interested should pop in any Friday morning, or ring Christine on 01675-462012, Deanna on 01675-463239 or Sally on 07860-346878.
