Taunton 2 Day Craft Fair Aug 17/18 2007

[Apple Tree Crafts]

Today we met with Taunton Town Centre Management, who have offered us a 2 day Craft Fair to be held in The Parade, Taunton. This is next to The Old Market House, and is rght in the heart of the main shopping area.

This event will be a showcase and huge marketing opportunity for British crafters. Our philosophy is Craft Fairs for Crafters. We believe that crafters should not have to compete with stalls selling mass-produced imports, so crafts for sale at this event must be made by the stallholder or their representative.

Crafters can do one or both days. We are assured that the footfall through Taunton town centre on Fridays & Saturdays in the Summer is literally tens of thousands. Tens of thousands of potential customers.......same week last August footfall was counted at 133,564 for the week!

If you would be interested in one or both days, please email me at

julesapple@aol.com

As soon as information packs are ready we will email or post them to you. Details will also be on our website as soon as possible.

Jules

[mollymandy]

Good luck Apple id love to be there just to http://iam.homewithgod.com/christianclipart/country5/2rabbits.giffar for me .

[BeyondBeads]

I would love to do it but i'm off on holiday on the 18th so it's no can do i'm afraid! Hope it all goes well for you and let me know of any future events!!

Laura :)

[handmadeheaven.biz]

is this an indoors event? how much will it cost? are tables provided? electricity?

cheers :)

[Apple Tree Crafts]

..just a few because it's all I have right now...


It's an outdoor 2 day event.

Electricity is Free

Covered market stalls come with tables.

Rough costs at present are £65 for Friday, £75 for Staurday or £100 for both days. I know this sounds a lot, but given the location and the footfall through the area sales are expected to be extremely high. Taunton Town Centre Management estimate sales per stall to be hundreds of pounds per day.

Footfall this week last year was 133,564 - average of 19,000 per day! . The location couldn't be any better, we are right in the middle of the high end shops. The main shopping area in Taunton is 'Y' shaped - our fair will be at the very middle of the Y. Customers cannot go anywhere around the shops without passing through our craft fair - effectively they are a captive audience (rubs hands together laughing evilly.........)

We went to Taunton yesterday, on a bitterly cold grey February Thursday morning, and it was packed with shoppers and even busier at lunchtime.

I'll post all the final details on here as soon as I know them.

Jules

[handmadeheaven.biz]

cheers. more questions - how big are the tables? how many stalls are you planning on having?

[Apple Tree Crafts]

Firstly, I've just noticed that the dates are wrong -

it's August 17th & 18th


The stalls were want are 3m by 2m, so tables should fit the length of them - 3 metres long by about 1 metre deep. But this is unconfirmed until I can get hold of the elusive market stallman. We are planning on up to 30 stalls.


Jules

[Apple Tree Crafts]

TTCM have now provided figures for last August's footfall through the main shopping area of Taunton, which is where our Fair will be.

The counted weekly footfall for this week last year was 133,564. This makes an average daily footfall of approximately 19,000!

Last year the weather wasn't very good, so if we get good weather this number will increase significantly!

And they all have to walk through our Fair! I love it, I love it!:p

Jules

[Apple Tree Crafts]

Tables should be 3m by 1.2 metres. Hopefully these will be part of individual market stalls. Electricity can be supplied, and it's all included in the cost.

I'm hoping to get the webpage up & running for this event soon, and also pdf file infopacks. But I'm still waiting on vital information, which s so frustrating!:mad:

Jules

[swirlyarts]

My friend is getting married the week after at Somerton Court which is down that way! Pity it wasn't the same weekend as I would have come to see you!

[Apple Tree Crafts]

Carry on down to Exeter and see us there instead! Hopefully we'll be at Exeter for four Saturdays in August!

Jules

[Apple Tree Crafts]

After chatting with a lot of crafters, many of whom are just starting out, Himself & I have decided that we need to do something about the cost of stalls.

We can't make costs any less, but we can spread the payments out. If you've had a Taunton info pack, or you're interested in coming, we have decided to accept bookings with a deposit of £25.00.

The remainder of the amount can then be divided equally into three payments and paid monthly. So, if you booked both days at Taunton, you would send a cheque for £25.00 with your booking form, and three monthly payments of £25.00 thereafter. This also applies to Exeter, although the costs would be different depending on how many dates you wanted.

I think it's more workable this way, it's kind of scary having to outlay all the money at once.

Jules

[Apple Tree Crafts]

Our elusive marketstall man has been tracked down! Unfortunately, we tracked him to his sickbed - the poor soul has had a heart attack (it wasn't anything to do with me honest!)

So, we are now considering buying our own stalls, although if we do they will be of the lighter type. Probably 3x3m square, with side panels.

If we can get them cheap enough, we can then lower the costs of stalls....if!

Jules