A trader has bid a fond farewell to a market that has been his 'second home' for 24 years, as he passes down the baton to his grandson who is taking over the business.
Colin Garner, of C and M Fruits, has revealed that he has marked his final time running his stall at Reeth Market, as he prepares to let the fourth generation of his family take over the running of the stall.
Colin has been attending the weekly market since April 2000, also acting as market manager for much of the time, and says that it has been like a second home to him, bringing him into contact with friends from all over the world who continue to visit him when holidaying in the Yorkshire Dales.
C and M Fruits was originally started in the late1940s by Colin's dad, Charles William Garner, who met and married local Land Girl Doris England while he was in the army at Camp Hill, Kirklington.
They settled near Bedale and Colin, the second of their four sons, went into the business with them in 1962, with the business becoming his only job.
Over the years, Colin has been inspired by his dad Charles, who had his first tailor-made trailer for the markets made in 1954, taking it to markets across the area.
Now that Colin is stepping away from the market, the baton has now been passed on to the fourth generation with Colin’s grandson, Jack William Cullen, of Hudswell, and a brand-new purpose-built trailer designed, with Colin’s input, to cope with the wind sweeping across the cobbled marketplace.
Jack is not only the fourth generation to carry on the family business but also the fourth to keep the middle name going.
Just before they departed the market for the final time as stallholders, Colin and his wife Christine were presented with a photograph of the Reeth marketplace by several friends, and also given flowers and a framed painting of the market by Martin Bearpark, chairman of Reeth Parish Council.
Councillor Bearpark thanked them both for their hard work over the years.
Colin said that he would like to thank everyone in Reeth and the surrounding area who had supported the business, with particular thanks to John Calvert for his help and friendship.
He and Christine will be back in Reeth on Fridays for the time being to support Jack but are very much looking forward to not having to wake up at 4am.
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