Burnley Artisan Market to become permanent town centre attraction in 2022

Delivered in a partnership between Burnley Business Improvement District, Burnley Council and Independent Street, the market first took place in September before returning in October, November and December.

It will get under way in the New Year on Saturday, February 5th, and will then take place on the first Saturday of each month following.

The idea behind bringing the market to Burnley was to entice a wider demographic into the town from surrounding areas.

Each event features a wide range of stalls featuring homemade items and produce, with a spotlight shone on local independent businesses, ingredients and materials.

There’s also live music, craft areas for children and a number of food and drink providers who passionately showcase their unique creations.

Initially introduced as a trial, the overwhelmingly positive response to the made making it permanent for 2022 an easy decision according to Burnley BID project manager Andrew Dean.

“We were blown away by the reaction to September’s event and it has continued to go from strength to strength over the months that have followed,” said Andy. “Artisan Market day is always buzzing and it has definitely helped entice new visitors into the town.

"I’m looking forward to seeing it continue to grow and develop in 2022 and help encourage even more people to come and discover Burnley.”

Independent Street’s Lisa Cowley added: “We’ve loved bringing the Artisan Market to Burnley and seeing St James’s Street so busy on each event day.

“The challenge will now be to make the offering even bigger and better than before for the people of East Lancashire and beyond but we’re already looking forward to making that happen.”

Coun. Asif Raja, Burnley Council's Executive member responsible for the town centre, said: "It's great to see the success of the Artisan markets means they will become a permanent attraction in Burnley.

"The market provides a wider shopping offer which helps bring in more visitors which, in turn, has a wider positive effect on the town centre as a whole. When St James's Street was refurbished, it was designed to create a space for events just like this.

"We'll continue to work with others to find new ways of making Burnley town centre more attractive."