ANNIVERSARY OF LAST THURSDAY PRODUCE AUCTION HELD IN BRIGG

Glorious summer weather greeted the first traditional summer market day of 2022 in Brigg town centre today (June 23).
However, having noted that positive, it is now THREE YEARS since the last Thursday produce auction was held on land near the railway station.
The operator posted a sign in June 2019 to say the weekly events had been suspended until further notice.
North Lincolnshire Council - our local markets authority - immediately advertised for someone to take up the reigns at its auction building to the south of Station Road. But these Thursday morning auctions have failed to resume.
That's a real shame as they drew sizeable attendances, with people coming from as far away as Yorkshire to hunt for bargain buys and to stock up with produce and plants.
Having been to the auction, the vast majority then went into Brigg to visit local shops, eateries and other business premises - boosting the local economy.
Brigg Blog has today contacted the council for an update. A reply is awaited and will appear in due course.
Thursday auctions were held in Brigg by family firm Stennett's for many decades on Manley Gardens (see pictures below).
The auctions switched to Barnard Avenue and then (as Tesco established its new store) to Station Road where the council, to its credit, provided a sizeable metal building which gave protection from the weather.
Have we seen the last Thursday auction in Brigg? Or is there still a chance that a resumption is possible under a new operator?
North Lincolnshire Council has now announced very welcome plans for new housing on what's known as the Hewson House site, stretching as far as the railway station.
However, auctions have relocated several times since the 1980s. So if the current site becomes unavailable, perhaps other land can be utilised.
Brigg Blog reported the sudden suspension of Station Road auctions in a post on June 24, 2019. View details here...

Although most people still used the term Stennett's to describe these auctions, the firm was not in charge in 2019.

 

Black and white pictures from the early 1980s showing Stennett's Auction on Manley Gardens, and also the sign on the corner of Bridge Street identifying its location. Tray after tray of eggs from local producers were snapped up by eager buyers every Thursday. Other popular items included butter and a range of birds for the table, plus rabbits.