IT will be a sad farewell to one of Holsworthy Market’s longest serving suppliers when he sets up his stall for the last time on Wednesday, October 28.

Charles Dumpleton is approaching his 70th birthday next year and has decided now is the time for him to ‘shut up shop’ and limit his supply to only one market.

After spending 25 years as a pet food supplier at both Holsworthy and Hatherleigh Pannier Markets he has decided to begin winding down and will attend his last Holsworthy market day on the 28th.

He told the Post he has witnessed a decline in trade at Holsworthy market over the recent years — possibly attributing this to the ‘insufficient’ weekly bus service into the town reducing the number of would be buyers.

He said there was a bus service that ran people to and from the centre of Holsworthy weekly, from many of the outlying villages, but due to cut backs in funding there is less opportunity for people to get transport into town and one bus a week was not enough - especially for many of the older generation living outside Holsworthy who rely on buses.

His decision to shift his focus to Hatherleigh market was encouraged by the large expanse of parking available at the site to encourage trade, as it will make things much easier for him as he continues to trade into his seventies.

With the changing times the market at Holsworthy too has changed and Charles has been there to witness much of it.

He said: “Before the recent recession there was a much older demographic of people attending the pannier market. But as time went on many began leaving, due to things like old age, and the market started seeing a younger group of visitors, predominantly the young mothers who came to the market looking for a better deal and seeking cheaper sources after we were all hit so hard by the recession.”

Charles empasised his support for all the traders in Holsworthy, whether they are market traders or shopkeepers. He said the market stallholders are lucky in a sense as they have the ability to move to a different market, with his plan being to move focus over to Hatherleigh, but the small businesses in Holsworthy have premises to think of — he hopes they are able to thrive in the coming years.

He said: “I would like to give thanks to all the good and loyal customers I have had over the years at Holsworthy market who have supported me through my time there and in my decision to leave.’