Ocean Terminal, which will soon change its name to PORTA, opens Edinburgh’s newest market, showcasing the best of local artisan arts, crafts and confectionery today.
The Rt Hon Lord Provost of Edinburgh, Frank Ross officially opened the market which will be open three days a week at the shopping mall.
He was joined by local MSP Ben Macpherson who is also Minister for Europe, Migration and International Development, celebrity chef Tony Singh and TV presenter Gail Porter at a special preview of the PORTA Waterfront Market yesterday evening.
Guests sampled produce from a wide selection of stalls and join TV chef Tony Singh as he showed how to make the most of local fresh market ingredients during a live cooking demonstration hosted by Scottish television presenter Gail Porter.
The new addition will bring a brand new element of relaxed market shopping to Ocean Terminal and will take place every Friday, Saturday and Sunday until November. In December it will become a Christmas market with many traders bringing their festive wares from around the world.
Visitors to the market can expect to see an array of exhibiting stalls from bakery, confectionery and drinks to handcrafted and locally designed gifts, some of which will be made on site by the local artisans.
As he declared the PORTA Waterfront Market open the Lord Provost said:“Leith consistently tops polls as a great place to live, work, eat out and shop. It also has a thriving creative community and this new market will marry Leith’s artisans with the area’s main shopping centre.
“With its location next to one of the city’s highest rated visitor attractions, the Royal Yacht Britannia, and with trams due to take people straight to the centre in the near future, it has the potential to become a real community and visitor hub. What a great way to showcase and boost the local community and economy.”
Organised and run by LocalMotive Markets, PORTA Waterfront Market will create a ‘market with meaning’, with exhibitors chosen from a collection of local natural and low/no plastic businesses.
As part of the LocalMotive approach, the market will also run in support of young entrepreneurs, delivering an opportunity for the local businesses and young traders to reach out to the community by providing them with access to sell in the busy shopping space. LocalMotive Markets is a social action events company that run markets and events across Edinburgh, including Castle Street Markets.
Michelle MacLeod, Deputy Centre Manager at Ocean Terminal said:“As people are becoming more aware of where the food on their plate is coming from, coupled with the growing importance of supporting local farmers and buying local produce, the PORTA Waterfront Market will be a welcome addition as it brings a whole new shopping experience for customers and foodies who will be in for a real treat”.
Tania Pramschufer, director of social action events company LocalMotive Markets said:
“This in an incredible opportunity for the Leith community to show off their local produce to both visitors and residents of the City. The diversity that this market will bring to Ocean Terminal will be a huge positive and create a completely different side of shopping from the great brands that are available at the shopping centre.”
If you would like to get involved in the market or would like any additional information about this, please contacthttp://www.localmotivemarkets.co.uk or email tania@localmotivemarkets.co.uk or olya.localmotivemarkets@gmail.com
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