Farmers’ market back in Bannockburn

THE Golden Plains Farmers’ Market will return to Bannockburn this weekend.

The market took a seven-month hiatus because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but will be back to its usual format at the Bannockburn Heart on Saturday, November 7 from 8.30am to 12.30pm.

Marketgoers will again be able to purchase the best fresh produce, fine wine, plants and bespoke handcrafted goods the region has to offer.

One stallholder keen to return to something like a normal situation is WesEggs co-owner Wes Humpage.

“We’re all ready to go, so we’re looking forward to it,” he said. “Seeing life resume as normal, seeing all the normal-type behaviours coming back is a good thing, so we can’t complain.

“It’s good for small businesses such as us and it’s good for consumers as well – people want to get out and about. It’s been hard on people, especially older people, you meet a lot of those sort of people at the markets; I’m sure they’ll be pretty happy with things starting to open up a bit.”

Visitors and stallholders at the market will notice some changes to ensure the market is COVID-safe.

These include a maximum of 50 visitors being allowed on the market site at any one time, and a single-entry point on High Street, with shoppers to move through the site in one direction towards Milton Street.

At the entry, visitors will be required to sign-in with their contact information for contact tracing purposes.

Face masks and 1.5-metre social distancing must be observed at all times at the market, and marketgoers are encouraged to use cardless methods of payment where possible.

No communal gathering will be permitted on the market site, with visitors encouraged to move through the market after making purchases to allow for other market-goers to enter.

Information on the December Golden Plains Farmers’ Market and the annual twilight market will be available soon.