With the 12th instalment of Rex Market taking place next month, we caught up with the event’s organiser, Dana Windle, to discuss the growth of the increasingly popular makers market in Neepsend.
“I had the idea around the summer of 2021,” says Dana. “After seeing how popular Neepsend and Kelham Island have become with independent bars and restaurants, I thought that a shopping experience showcasing independent makers would fit in nicely.
“Another reason behind it was that I have a small business, Care to be Cosy, and was struggling to grow it online. The online market is quite busy and saturated, so it can be quite hard to cut through and reach people. I thought about how market events can be really useful for those smaller businesses, as it means people can stumble across your stall naturally and interact with you and the products in person.”
Dana quickly worked towards turning the idea into reality, messaging talented local makers and street food vendors to see if they were interested in getting involved. The inaugural event at their outdoor space on Neepsend Lane took place in September 2021, and since then it’s steadily grown in popularity.
She elaborates: “We’ve been getting more and more applications as time has gone by. We can only fit 19 crafts/makers stalls, plus two food vendors, a bar and a coffee outlet, but we’re getting over 200 applications per event, which is fantastic. Hopefully, there will be the opportunity to expand further in the future.”
When it came to naming the event, Dana found inspiration in her beloved pup, Rex. True to its namesake, Rex Market remains a dog-friendly gathering. You’ll regularly find pictures of posing pooches on the market’s social media page and their latest event even had a stall doing ‘paw print coasters’, where punters could grab a nice ceramic honouring their furry friends.
Currently, the market pops up five times a year: March, May, July, September and November. This month’s event, scheduled for 26 November, will naturally feature its winning formula talented local makers and delicious food and drink options (whether you’re sticking to soft or alcohol), but you can expect some festive cheer and the perfect opportunity to purchase unique homemade Christmas gifts.
As ever, Dana is looking forward to seeing her celebration of local artisans come to life: “My number one drive for doing this is putting small independent businesses on people’s radars. It can be so easy to be pulled towards big national companies when shopping, particularly in an online setting, but these events put you face-to-face with the owners of wonderful small companies. I think that’s really important.”
The final Rex Market of the year takes place on 26 Nov // @rexmarketkelham
