COLEFORD will be filled with “wonderful local traders” of all kinds this Saturday (August 26) at the town’s Summer Faddle Fair.

This year the event is being held at the clock tower, with live music hosted by Mike Hodges, a BBQ from Dave Sheppard, ice cream from Chase Farm and a wide range of locally-sourced food, drinks and arts & crafts.

Forest based, The Faddle Fair supports an array of local traders at events throughout the year.

This weekend will be the last Faddle Fair event to be organised by Lucy Fall from Pomegranate Boutique. The Faddle Fair will continue into 2024 but Lucy has made the decision to pass the event onto others.

Lucy explained: “The Faddle Fair has been great.

“I was there at its inception with Vicky from MOOT and I took over as lead in 2018. I have loved organising it, our artists and crafters, jewellery makers and felters, food and wine producers, are wonderful and so supportive of the event but it’s now too large to be in the hands of one person, it need new blood and a team to take it forward - Pomegranate is now focused on festivals throughout Gloucestershire and Wales so I will not be based in Coleford and the Faddle Fair needs someone constantly based in the town”.

The organisers say Coleford town centre itself certainly has a lot to offer, as recently noted by Mark Anthony Monk Financial Consultants: “It’s so lovely to see Coleford High Street become a hive of activity”.

They said: “It has to be noted that there are indeed so many great places to eat, drink, shop or just browse. The Old White Hart was refurbished in December 2022 & the bar is light and airy as well as now having its new function rooms, The Art of Coffee and Bolters are both doing amazing things: Coleford also has Amici and live music and award winning beers and ciders at The Dog House - & who doesn’t like a full English breakfast at either The Angel Hotel or at Kaplan’s!”

The Faddle Fair will take place from 10am until 4pm.

The clock tower will be abuzz with regular traders as well as new local artists, crafters and designers. These include Wooden Heart Design by Vikki Gibson, Watercolour Puddles by Julie Cannon and Broken Twigs by Charlotte Taylor as well as many others.

Everything that is sold at The Faddle Fair is produced locally – it’s truly a local market with no supplier having travelled further than fifty miles.

As Claire from Weston Florists said: “We all love Coleford, are passionate about it really – support local, it’s the way forward”.