JULIAN Harvard breaks his own personal best this week in the “early year attendance” category as he returns to the market with potted tulips, daffodils, hyacinths and helleborus.

Apart from the hyacinths it is still too early for flowers of course so he will have a selection of plants to grow on at home, in a pot or garden.

Elsewhere we have another chance to sample the cupcakes from Nom Nom Cupcakerie who appeared for the first time a fortnight ago. Their presence means we have three stalls from the same industrial area in Thrupp with Stroud brewery and Funky Falafel also having their production units there.

Whilst on the subject of cakes I should mention the range of sweet baking available. Apart from Pippin Doughnuts we have the fortnightly Fair and Square Chocolate Brownies stall, always a hit, Country Girls (ex-WI) with a range of classic sweets such as shortbread in various flavours, loaf cakes such as lemon drizzle and Jamaica ginger and a selection of fruit pies plus a gluten free range, La Parisienne pastries and fruit tarts and The Cotswold Pudding Company with sticky toffee pudding in a variety of guises. There is also an amazing selection of exotic baking going on at Emma’s Café in the square.

No-one knows what she will be making in advance and we all look forward to feasting our eyes on her latest creations; double chocolate cheesecake with salted peanut caramel perhaps, or lemon meringue éclairs or London fog cake with Earl Grey cream and caramel!