On the first weekend of June, Love Wimbledon’s monthly local market finally returned to the Piazza outside Morrisons. As a result of the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown restrictions, business has been on hold for many retailers, but the return of the markets and the go-ahead for the re-opening of non-essential shops seems a step in the right direction. Below, we highlight a few adaptations that Love Wimbledon and their traders have made to enable them to start trading again.

So how has the Love Wimbledon Local Market on the Piazza changed?

• The size of the market has been reduced to allow extra space for social distancing
• Extra sanitisation and safety measures are in place and hand sanitiser is available at the market
• You’re encouraged to use contactless payment and bring your own bag
• You can order in advance from selected stalls and arrange collection at the market (in addition to the usual browse and buy on the day.) Pre-order details are communicated through the Love Wimbledon newsletter – sign up here at the bottom of their home page.

How did it all go?

Our friends at Love Wimbledon advised that the market re-opening was well-received and gave people a sense of hope and optimism as the town centre blossoms to life. The next market will take place on Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th June, 11am-6pm on The Piazza in Wimbledon (near Morrisons.) International street food, face masks, homewares and jewellery will be available for purchase at the next market, so we look forward to seeing you there as we continue to support local businesses across Merton who have had a tough few months.

How did the traders find the new experience?

“It was great to see so much support from everyone who visited the market. Many mentioned how they were looking forward to it. For us, it was like therapy coming out of the lockdown; small steps towards the end of such a long time away from socialising.” – LusoBrazil

“Customers who missed us were very happy because it was the first market after lockdown.” – Lukka, Boutique Cakes

The next Love Wimbledon Local Market is featured here on our What’s On page, and you can find added information on the market including details of the traders on the LW website.