'Run by people who care' - Blackpool's Abingdon Street Market to mark 3 years since big relaunch
"I think one of the best things about Blackpool's independent scene is that people genuinely want to support each other.”
Next month traders at Blackpool's Abingdon Street Market will celebrate the third anniversary of the relaunched shopping venue.
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The market, which includes craft shops, clothing outlets and food, reopened in May 2023, after a long and controversial closure.
Market traders complained after being moved off site and for months shoppers wondered if anything would take their place.
But now, three years on, the historic market is home to businesses, complete with a food hall, coffee shop and a cocktail bar.
And operators The Little Blackpool Leisure Company has plans to keep developing the site by attracting independent businesses.
One market retailer, Troy Bradford who runs the Inertial Sounds record shop, believes his store helps celebrate the resort's cultural and musical history.
The twenty five-year-old said: "Being born in Blackpool, you're just subjected to music from a young age. Rave culture is still huge here, which is something that’s died off in a lot of places.
"I think one of the best things about Blackpool's independent scene is that people genuinely want to support each other.
"They're run by people like us - people who care.
"It's not just about making money, it's about speaking to each other, sharing ideas and lifting each other up."
One of the biggest success stories on Fylde's food scene is Nensho Men, serving Japanese dishes and ramen at the market.
Another, Seitanic serves up plant-based kebabs to Blackpool's increasing number of vegan diners.
A spokesman for Abingdon Street said: "This is the place for fussy eaters, those who can't decide what to eat, meat eaters, vegans and everyone in between."