Join us

Have you stumbled across this blog and wondered what we are all about?

The Country Markets started life as the WI market and you can read our history here:
A potted history

Our stall has been going for over 45 years now, but sadly our membership has diminished over the years, but we are still a keen, friendly and enthusiastic group of members, enjoying setting up our stall each week and serving Ampthill.

We welcome new members and you can just join us, to sell a few items, or maybe just enjoy 'manning' the stall and having a chat with our customers.

Cook, craft, grow is what the Country Markets is all about, and you can really do as little as you like.

Pop along to the stall any Thursday and meet the members on the rota for the day.

We are on facebook too (all the links are at the top of the page), and we need everyone to spread the word about Ampthill Charter market and especially the Country market stall :)  Every Thursday morning in the Waitrose car park.

....and some of the rest of the market

I thought I would add some pics of some of the other stalls, it was a lovely day on Thursday in Ampthill and so took the camera along, funny how there always seems to be something in the way of a great picture :)

So as well as our stall there is household goods, jewellery and decor, cheese, bread, fruit & veg, fish, plants, pet foods, Keech hospice charity stall, garden ornaments tec.

New stalls

Ampthill Town Council provides stalls to those that need one and they have recently changed to posh blue gazebo ones - they look very smart and match in with lots of the others that are already on the market.


They are a little bit dark inside compared to what we are used to, so think we may need to get a white cloth to brighten it up - what do you think?

We are in Ampthill every Thursday morning

we do have windows in some of the panels

Ampthill Market

Ampthill market was established in 1219 and was confirmed by royal charter in 1242.   It has always been held on a Thursday.  There was a market house on the square, this was replaced with the market house now Richardsons in the 1780s, when Lord Ossary of Ampthill Park 'tidied up' the town.

It is small market but has a good selection of stalls, the Town Council try to keep it varied.

Here is a quick summary of all of the stalls, and hopefully I will return with some more posts later on about each of the stalls, apart from the Country Market - as I am sure you will know we are there every week if you have been reading this blog :)

So there is Keith a fishmonger from Grimsby

A greengrocer

Isla Jane Bakery

Open air foods selling cheese and olives

Charity stall for Keech cottage

Luella gifts

Newbury Farm Plants

Pet foods

A seller of household items
Greetings cards

Here are some more great photos of the market from www.Ollieali.com:
Ampthill Market

Market Day - spotlight on baking

Today was much busier than last week, maybe everyone was on holiday over the Easter period, or just out for days?  

Good to see everyone back, it was a good weather day for a market stall - no wind or rain, the sun even popped out from time to time, we can get quite battered out there on windy days :)

There was a good selection of baking and we started with quite a stall full, and apart from a couple of packs it was all sold.  

The quiches were very popular and could have sold more.  We do several sizes, and they are all suitable for freezing, so you can eat some and freeze some.

See you all next Thursday

Join us

The Country Markets is a national organisation originally set up by the WI as a trading 'arm' and is now independent, it is basically a co-operative.  The country markets have their on website here:

Country Markets and they have loads of information on there about becoming a member, and we also have information on our website.

Once you have joined the market it will cost you a percentage of your sales (currently 10%) and nothing more.  If you sell nothing it costs you nothing.

Maybe you have recently retired, or looking to earn some money that fits in with a busy family life.  Perhaps you have an excess of produce from your allotment or garden, or a craft worker looking for a new outlet.  Or just enjoy baking, making and growing and want to get involved.  Anyone over the age of 16 can join. We can attend other events, not just the Thursday market, and join with other Country Markets for events.  You can advertise and tell all of your friends, relatives and customers that your produce will be on the market every Thursday, and you might get a loyal customer base.

So if you are someone that can:

• Cook - such as cakes, pies, preserves, chutneys, savouries
• Raise plants - from bedding plants to shrubs
• Grow fuit or vegetables - seasonal from your garden or allotment
• Crafts - hand make items like knitting, embroidery, watercolours, as long as they are hand crafted and quality finished, they will be considered
• Or if you just want to come along and help for a couple of hours, to see what we do that would be great too

How is it run? 

• The market is run as a co-operative, here are a few of the main points on how it is run: 
• there are no minimum quantities
• you do not have to contribute every week
• a commission is taken on sales, presently 10%, which covers the cost of the stall and insurance etc
• you will be paid once a month for your sales
• packaging is available to buy - bags, card and jar lids
• we give advice on Food Hygiene certification is available for cooks, as well as financial contribution (this can be done on line now)
• and advice on how to package and produce labels
• there is a rota to 'man' the stall and you would normally have one 2 hour shift a month, but the members are flexible and if you cannot help then arrangements can be made
• bear in mind the stall is outdoors and whatever products you wish to sell will need to be displayed on a potentially windy and wet market stall!
• Anyone over 16 can be a member and it costs 5p to join.