Heanor - Market Towns' Week
w/e 08 May 2005
All this week's pictures were taken with a Kodak DX6490

Heanor

Market Towns' Week, organised by ‘Action for Market Towns’ is designed to showcase projects aimed at regenerating market towns. Ilkeston's close neighbour, Heanor is one of the East Midlands' towns taking part with the aim of bringing local communities together and attracting visitors into the region's many market towns. On a busy May Bank Holiday Monday in Heanor the first of a week long series of events was held where else but in the town's market place directly opposite the banner emblazoned Town Hall.
Colourful Characters

Town Crier Harry Bodkin introduced the Mayor who opened the event while Sue Worrall, appropriately dressed to match the Victorian Market theme were just two of the colourful characters present and the Punch and Judy man waited for the designated time to perform his first show. "That's the way to do it!"
What A Palaver

A barrel organ contributed to the old time atmosphere while the entertainers "What A Palaver" left their bed of nails to befriend Sharon Brown and momentarily prevent her from distributing a basketful of lollipops. Guitar, fiddle and accordion provided more music and accompanied the May Pole dancers.
Heage Windmillers

The dancers, the Heage Windmillers, delighted the crowd with a variety of traditional routines around a static May Pole while more of their number clad in bright blue, red and yellow tunics performed clog dances around poles of a portable nature.
Victorian Market

Traders and charity stalls were selling a variety of goods and wares including hand made greetings cards, sweets and novelty items but the term "Victorian" was perhaps a shade too far.
French Market

Events were held every day of the week and by Friday the Victorian Market had given way to a French Market. This was a more authentic description with many continental goods on offer. Aromas of cheeses, olives, breads and garlic permeated the senses and basketware and jewellery could also be purchased. However with French loaves priced at £10.00 each, pastries at £2.50 and helpings of potatoes and sausages at £5.50, I don't think trade was very brisk. Perhaps our continental friends had become confused with the exchange rate but if that's the effect of the Euro, I'd rather go back to LSD. For those who don't know, that's not a drug but stands for pounds, shillings and pence and and is what we used for currency before decimalisation in 1971.

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