Selling everything from fish to flowers to secondhand books, Norwich Market plays an important role in our city's rich shopping scene. In the latest feature in our Evening News' Get Behind Your Market campaign, Emma Knights talks to shoppers about what they love about the market.
The variety of stalls, the friendly market traders, and the unique and personal shopping experience are among the reasons many people enjoy coming back to Norwich Market time and time again.
Shoppers spending their Saturday perusing the stalls said it was a special part of our city and backed our campaign to encourage more people to support Norwich Market.
Christine Arnes, 59, from Mattishall, near Dereham, was buying a lobster from City Fish on the front of the market, enjoying a chat about golf with market trader David Neech at the same time.
'This is why I come to the market, for the chit chat,' she said.
'I like the people. I think it has a great atmosphere. You can also see what you are buying better than in a supermarket.'
Mrs Arnes said she also liked to buy flowers and vegetables from the market.
'When I'm in Norwich, I always come to the market,' she said, adding the market was an important part of the city.
'It's been here for so long, and if we don't support it, we won't have it any more.'
Further along the front row, Lucy Farrant, an arts producer who lives in Norwich city centre, was buying a Romanesque cauliflower at Mike, Debs and Sons fruit and vegetable stall. She said she enjoyed coming to the market regularly.
'I prefer to buy local produce when I possibly can,' she said.
'I think the stallholders are lovely and I like knowing where my fruit and vegetables come from.
'There's also a great variety of stuff on offer [on the market], all sorts of useful things, like someone to mend your watch for example.
'I think the campaign is a really good idea. It's really important to support our local traders.'
At Joe's Pets, Nick Allen, a 57-year-old potter from Elsing, was buying treats for his labradoodle Fred.
He said he shops at the market about once a week and he thought it was an important centrepiece for the city.
'I would definitely encourage more people to shop here. It just has a lovely atmosphere and a good variety of stalls.'
Meanwhile, Caroline Larinde, a saxophonist and therapist from Luton, was enjoying her first visit. She said she thought markets had a great sense of community and she was impressed by what she saw in Norwich.
'The variety is good and you meet nice people,' she said, as she enjoyed tucking into chips from Lucy's Chips stall.
Another person visiting Norwich from elsewhere in the country was Jo Hambling, 66, who lives near Clacton but used to live in Swanton Morley.
She was delighted the fabric stall she used to shop at – Barry Read Fabrics – was still there as she wanted some material to make wraps for her nieces.
'The market is lovely, it's always been lovely and it's very diverse,' she said. 'Fabric shops are hard to come by these days and there are super fabrics here.'
At the Shoes and Keys stall, Hannah Robinson, a 25-year-old outreach officer from Eaton, was getting a key cut.
'The market is unique and it's nice to support small local businesses and support the local economy,' she said.
Yuan Shen, a 25-year-old University of East Anglia student, was buying flowers at Pond's Flowers on her first visit to the market.
'I've also had the fish and chips,' she said.
'The market is so nice and traditional and all the coloured roofs are so beautiful. I've taken so many pictures.'
At the book and leather stall at the back of the market, Emma Long, a 39-year-old University of East Anglia lecturer, was browsing the books.
'I came to the market to get my watch repaired and I like to have a look around. Books, bread and cake, they are usually my purchases.
'I just think it [the market] is a really good resource. It's nice to have local traders rather than chains. You never know what you are going to find on the market. I have found all kinds of weird and wonderful birthday presents before.'
Jo Clitheroe, a 48-year-old teacher from the Golden Triangle, was also at the market with her 10-year-old twin daughters Lola and Rosa.
'We come most weekends. We have bought horseradish and chicken, and we have had mushy peas and chips today.
'We have been to the incense stall for Lola, and Rosa is planning to spend her pocket money on the book stall. I just like how interesting the market is. It's very vibrant and everything that you need is available in a small area.'
You can get behind our campaign by tweeting @EveningNews with the hashtag #NorwichMarket, or visiting the Norwich Evening News Facebook page. Get in contact and tell us why you love the market and send us your photos of items you have purchased.
Do you have any interesting memories of the market? Email geraldine.scott@archant.co.uk
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here