As part of the recovery from the pandemic, Barking and Dagenham Council has launched a brand-new advertising campaign to encourage local residents to rediscover Barking Market. The campaign has put the market traders at the heart of the creative concept and aims to celebrate the colourful individuals who make Barking Market such a special and unique part of life in the borough.
The campaign will also highlight the wide variety of good value items on offer at the market, which include food and drink, clothing and footwear, and household goods. The campaign is being run under the slogan: “Always a warm welcome at Barking Market” and it also features a new ‘hug’ logo, emphasising the warm welcome shoppers will find at the market.
Councillor Cameron Geddes, Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Economic Development, commented: “Barking and Dagenham Council is committed to seeing our town centres thrive once again following the pandemic and it’s never been more important for all of us to support our local businesses, especially ones like Barking Market, which has been part of the lifeblood of the town for many years. With such a variety of goods on offer, and such a warm welcome to be found down in East Street, I would encourage any local shoppers to visit the market and discover the personal service and good value shopping experience the market is famous for.”
Umar, one of the traders featured in the campaign, has run a food stall at the market for five years and commented: “The market is a very multicultural place and Barking is a great place to live and work. I am living the dream.”
Khalid, who has had a pitch for 17 years said: “People are polite and friendly, that includes traders and customers. We stock the latest products at good quality and great prices and people come a long way to buy.” While another trader, Irina, who also features in the campaign and sells womenswear, commented: “We are all a family, from traders to customers.”
Residents will see the adverts spread across key advertising sites in retail areas, on social media, at bus shelters across the borough, on traffic routes, and in underground and rail stations across the coming weeks.
There has been a street market in Barking Town Centre for a number of years and it is currently open for business from 9am-5pm every day (except Wednesday) right along East Street, approximately 5 minutes’ walk from Barking Station. The market operates with approximately 80 stalls offering a variety of quality goods, complemented by a food court area selling street food from many different cultures. The market continues to follow government guidelines on Covid-19 and there are Market Officers around to ensure the area is kept safe and to offer advice to shoppers.
The campaign has been put together with funding from the UK Government and European Regional Development Fund’s ‘Welcome Back Fund’, which aims to support the safe return to high streets and to help build back better from the pandemic. The fund, administered by the Council’s regeneration company, Be First, has paid for a range of activities including additional cleaning, Covid Marshalls and the ‘Activation Station’ project. More information on Barking Market can be found at: www.lbbd.gov.uk/barking-market