Taste of Europe for town

Tastes and styles of the continent drew in hundreds of shoppers as Stourbridge made new moves to return to its roots as a traditional market town.

Traders from across Europe yesterday set up colourful stalls for a special market to coincide with the International Mask Festival taking place in the town.

The continental market will be in town until tomorrow, and was being joined today by a small new permanent town centre market.

Food, clothing and jewellery were among the items on sale at more than 20 stalls set up around the historic town centre clock in Lower High Street for the three-day special event. Shoppers packed out the centre to look around the stalls and traders wore traditional costumes from their individual countries as an extra special touch.

Produce such as cheese, olives, charcuterie, biscuits, nuts and dried fruit, crepes, pastries and freshly baked bread were among the foods which proved popular.

Non-food stalls sold goods included handbags and leather goods, lavender, soaps and children's toys.

Traders were out and about early for the first day of trade with many of the stalls set up and ready by 8.30am yesterday.

A stready stream of customers visited the market throughout the day and many more are expected over the weekend.

It has been organised to coincide with the half-term school holidays and the ongoing International Mask Festival taking place in and around the Glasshouse Theatre, in Wollaston Road, Amblecote. Music and street entertainment also took place in the town yesterday and, is also is set to continue today and tomorrow.

Shopper Ruth Mills said it was a wonderful event and gave Stourbridge something a little bit different to the normal.

"I am really impressed with the sheer number of stalls they have packed into this part of the town and there is a lot of variety," she said. "I have enjoyed having a browse around and I am sure a lot of others over the weekend will as well."

Councilor Malcolm Knowles, cabinet member for economic regeneration said: "I'm delighted that our friends from the continent have brought their produce over to Stourbridge."

Meanwhile, the new permanent outdoor market opened its gates for the first time today. Smithfields Market is based in a small corner of the town centre between Market Street and an entrance to the Crown Centre.

Traders operate from small wooden huts and most of the units have now been taken.

Among the first traders to open was Laura Hickman, aged 38, from Stourbridge, who is running a card stall.

Laura had toyed with the idea of selling her cards for a year. But she got no further with her ambition until she was made redundant from her office job at Stourbridge College in July and decided to take the plunge. All of the items on Laura's stall are handmade, with flower arrangements also available alongside the cards.

"I made my first card around two years ago and was self-taught," she said.

"Setting up a stall to sell the cards was something I had thought about doing for a while but it is always a bigger decision when you have a job. When I was made redundant I thought this would be the perfect chance to have a go."

Other stalls will sell jewellery, clothing and food.

The market will run Tuesdays to Saturdays from 9.30am until 5.30pm.