Eccles Shopping Centre is hosting a Christmas craft market for craft lovers and local shoppers to support local businesses during Covid.

Craft businesses can get involved by arriving at the centre early on December 12 or 19 with a table. Pitches are free but are allocated to the first arrivals due to social distancing guidelines.

Free parking is also being provided at various sites around the town.

Pam Pickard, owner of Art & Craft House, was delighted to join in with the craft markets as this is the only opportunity to sell her unique crafts since lockdown was introduced in March.

Pam said: “My main source of income, if you like, is here in the shopping centre where I do free craft classes, which the shopping centre pay for, for children during school holidays and half terms. Normally that is what I would be doing today.”

“I also do adult workshops with groups of people with brain injury. There could be people with dementia, it could be just like a form of like a friendship group. But obviously none of these groups have been meeting this year.”

A range of homemade products is on display from Christmas decorations, jewellery, baby clothes, dog clothes and accessories, plush toys, and many more!

The centre manager of Eccles Shopping Centre, Darren Askew, says Covid has made Christmas very different. The Santa’s grotto could not go ahead but the market was still possible.

Car parking will be free on the dates of the Christmas Craft Markets to everyone at Eccles Shopping Centre.

The car parks included are:

  • John William Street, Eccles
  • Eccles Precinct
  • St Mary’s Road, Eccles
  • Irwell Place, Eccles
  • Barton Lane, Eccles

To get involved and support local craft businesses,  head to the Square at Eccles Shopping Centre on December 12 and 19.

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