WE’VE got two markets at the Cornhill this week – the farmers’ market as usual on Saturday of course and “for one night only” the annual Goodwill Evening Christmas Gift Market on Friday evening from 5pm to 9pm.

We love doing our Saturdays of course but there is something special about the Goodwill market. The fact that it takes place in the evening and we have to light up the square creates a unique atmosphere and lovely visual impact. The Goodwill market is also highly popular with traders and this year’s market booked up quicker than in previous years, with all stalls taken by mid October!

We have a great selection of food and drink with Selsley Herb and Spice mulled wine, Ragged Stone mulled cider, Windmill Soups, Adeys burgers and hot dogs, Niang’s Thai, Asparagasm, cheeses, Cococaravan, a hog roast and the market café by Studio Pastry to name a few plus an excellent range of gifts including such fabulous local makers as Art by Denius woodcarvings, As The Crow Flies ceramics, Charlotte Carpenter, The Painter’s Pantry, Dizzibirds Textiles and a host of others.

Saturday is looking good too with every space available to us being filled as stall holders gear up for the final push to the year’s end and a week off looming.

Now is the time to order for Christmas.

You can order anything from any stall ready for Christmas although the priority should be your meat orders. Madgetts is taking orders for any poultry you could imagine while at Hinton Marsh Farm and Frocester Fayre turkeys and geese are available to order. Cefn Maen Farm (Monmouthshire turkeys) is providing an organic option on the Turkeys too, as they do every year. You will find their stall next to the organic vegetable stalls in Union Street and I would recommend ordering sooner rather than later as they do have a very limited stock. Chipolatas, bacon, sausage meat, beef and pork joints, lamb legs and all other cuts are worth ordering too because the chances are that at the final market before Christmas on Christmas Eve it might be too late!