What day is it? Where am I supposed to be? Is anyone interested in booking markets for next year? Or is everyone in the pub? Or knee deep in wrapping paper and Amazon orders...

We think it’s almost time to wrap up for Christmas, reflect on the year gone by, and look ahead to 2024.

This time last year we had no idea our little market in Fareham would lead us to regular markets for the council in Gosport High Street.

It was January this year that my colleagues opened Rosario’s & Co Coffee Shop, which led them to a local Ambassadors meeting where they got talking to the council. Fast forward months and months, and meetings galore, and we were awarded the contract for monthly bespoke markets in the high street. An opportunity to bring back the much-talked-about market scene, with a young, forward-thinking team at the helm.

First things first, we needed a name and a brand. The name was literally all I could think about and we bounced ideas on our WhatsApp chat until we all nearly went mad. When we finally hit on Anchored in Gosport we knew it was the one, and we could then get our logo and brand underway. It’s already hard to imagine a life without Salty Steve (thanks to Jo at Starfish Creative)! We had great fun out and about with the cardboard cut out of Steve; promoting our first event and raising awareness for the brand.

Between contracts being signed and our first event, a Christmas market on 25th November, we didn’t have much time to get traders on board (and an event that hasn’t happened yet can be a hard sell!) But we’re pros and we pulled 50 independent traders together, with products ranging from candles to crepes, gin, jewellery, local beer, deli products, cakes etc. We were also lucky enough to be joined by Alleyways of Gosport and Gosport Community Cinema who were raising awareness for their projects and events. Enigmatic Theatre were also with us with an incredible mini escape room. Pop-up Spray Studios were busy all day with their free spray paint activity, and visitors enjoyed posing as Salty Steve and his pals.

We worked alongside Hampshire Cultural Trust who organised the entertainment. I loved the VR swing, the incredible hula hooper, and dancing to The Spoils at the end of the night. I’m surprised I had any energy left after my 4am wake up. I think I was running on pure adrenaline, caffeine and sugar at that point.

All in all it was a great day, and a great start to our new challenge. With the support from local residents and businesses we can build on these markets month on month. We’re confident a Christmas 2024 market organised by us would be something pretty special, with high quality traders stretching much further down the high street.

Our next market in Gosport High Street is an Easter Eggstravaganza on Saturday 30th March. It’s a bank holiday weekend so a great time to come down with all the family to shop, join in with activities, listen to live entertainment and partake in some delicious street food.

Rumour has it Salty Steve is planning an egg hunt...

Thanks to Scott Morey Photography for the fantastic photos.