Continental Market busy time for Bexhill

Devonshire Road was closed off to traffic and once again became home to a huge variety of stalls heaving with delicious and desirable produce from France as well as an equally applealing selection from local business.

There was wide choice for visitors interested in buying food - smoked garlic, artichokes, Normandy apple tart, olives, tartiflette, and spicy Surimi prawns, all proving enormously tempting to those strolling along the pavements and enjoying the relaxed atmosphere of the outdoor market.

Dominique Rioult brough along his incredible range of rustic ham and sausages flavoured with herbs, walnuts, mushrooms, and chilli.

Dominique has been a regular fixture at the market and makes the trip every year from Epouville, while on the other side of the road was the familiar flower stall of Michel Delais who comes over from Le Harvre and has sold at the market for the last ten years, always known locally as 'the flower man'.

Caroline Langevin from Normandy had her fragrant oils, herbs and soaps from Provence and said she also comes every year to Bexhill,

"It is a very good town - the people are very nice, and when the weather is good the market is even better."

Emanuel Poulain came from Cherbourg with a stunning range of fruit and vegetables beautifully laid out across his stall at the Marina end of Devonshire Road.

He commented: "It's great here - the weather is good, and plenty of people need nice produce."

Out and about enjoying the ambiance as well as sampling a taste of France was Fiona Taylor from Battle with her sister Terri who decided on crepes with calvados and sugar.

Fiona said: "We come every year - it really brightens the town up."

There was a number of local businesses represented at the market, including H&H Confectionary in Sackville Road, fresh from winning a Bexhill Achievers Award just a few days before.

Newcomer Clive Soper of Wealden Tyres took the opportunity to make contact with the public having set up a branch in Bolebrook Road just three months ago.

Clive commented: "I wanted to come out and meet the customers. You have to be proactive these day in business, so I thought this would be a good way to meet customers and it was - I have met hundreds of them this morning, so it has been amazing and really worked well."

Also there for the first time was Lyndsay Marker who set up Creative Cupcakes six months ago and is watching her business grow and develop.

She bakes and decorates cupcakes for functions such as weddings and parties, but also sells at fairs and various events. She spent two days prior to the market baking and icing hundreds of cupcakes, including chocolate, cookes and cream, lemon meringue, fresh strawberry, cappucino and orange and lemon, and then enjoyed seeing them snapped up by hungrey shoppers, particularly children.

Lyndsay said: "This has been really positive with the feedback from everybody - it has been really good. I am meeting a lot of people, taking orders, and had positive feedback from everybody so I am really pleased. And the kids love it."

The De La Warr Pavilion was also represented at the market with a stall giving a lively taster of all its different facets - from the freshly baked scones and flapjacks normally enjoyed in the cafe to the Portuguese wine from the bar, stylish and eclectic books from the shop, and information of upcoming gigs and performance through to the end of the year.

Head of Business Development Stewart Drew said: "We are just really keen to help support the market. We think it is really good for the town and with it happening at the same time as the Hastings Seafood and Wine Festival, it's a Sussex market-food-wine celebration which I think is really good for the region. We are here telling people what is happening at the DLWP at Christmas, and a lot of people are just sampling some of our homemade cakes and bread, as well as our fantastic wine."