Lullabies of Darwen Market

Despite the tough economic times, business is booming at Darwen Market with four new traders recently taking up pitches.

One of those, Mick Taylor, recently moved his business, Lullabies of Darwen, from a shop location on Duckworth Street to a prime pitch on the market.

The nursery goods stall sells everything from pushchairs and cots to bottles, dummies and prams. They also offer free delivery.

Mick said: “We’ve been on Duckworth Street for the past two years but wanted to get into the town centre. It’s the first time we’ve been in a market environment and I’m really enjoying it so far. We’ve reduced our costs quite significantly and just generally it’s a cheaper, friendly and more viable location.”

Mick hatched the idea for Lullabies of Darwen upon his return to Darwen after 15 years of working in Worthing as an electrical wholesale manager.

He added: “I was doing well down there but not seeing much of my family, so I left my job, sold my house and moved back up here. When thinking about what to do next, we just looked at recession proof businesses and the baby market is an area that is still very much growing.”

For Mick, the move to Darwen Market is already proving a success.

He adds: “We weren’t getting a lot of passing trade before but now we do. We’ve obviously had people who used to come to the shop stick with us but mostly we’ve been noticing a lot of new faces. In our first two hours in the market we served more people than we would in a normal day.”

The shop also has a strong online presence. Mick adds: “We do a lot of business online. Some of the prams are very unique and difficult to get abroad so we end up selling a fair amount overseas as well.”

Located at the heart of the town, Darwen Market is a haven for businesses of all shapes and sizes.

The market boasts over 90 stalls under cover, offering an amazing variety of produce and specialist items. Parking is also free.

Visitors can expect to receive a warm and friendly welcome and an attentive and uniquely personal service from the stall holders, many of whom have long standing associations at the market; sometimes stretching back through generations.