I received a phone call last week from a member of the Luton Women’s Institute saying that she and her ladies want to visit Spalding on a market day in June, because they had heard our market was really good and also want to ride on the Water Taxi.
This is the second such call I have received in as many months, the last one was a coach party from Clapham in London.
Clearly, Spalding does have something to offer and has the potential to attract the day visitor.
How many of you know that Spalding now has one of the largest vinyl records shops in the East of England and the owner of Uptown Vinyl Records Music Shop, Alan Barnsdale, wants it to be the biggest in the country?
With over 60,000 records, the shop stocks an excellent selection of vintage and collectable 12in vinyl records, 12in & 7in singles, CDs and music memorabilia.
Uptown Vinyl Records is located in the Spalding Lifestyle Centre next to Johnson Hospital. Alan reports that people are visiting from all over the UK and they are amazed at the range, depth and quality of the collection.
Always on the lookout to buy more stock, Alan pays cash for good quality records of any genre and he can be contacted on 07940 550 839 or [email protected].
The shop is open Tuesday to Saturday 10am-5pm and on Sundays 10am-4pm.
Another attraction that is increasing in popularity is Riverside Studios.
Owned and managed by artists John Gray and Helen Webber, it provides art classes for all adult age groups in drawing techniques, oils and water colours.
The studio is situated at 57A Double Street and is open on Tuesdays and Thursdays 10.30am-12.30pm and 12.30pm-3.30pm and on Wednesdays 7.30pm-9.30pm. If you are interested contact John or Helen on 01775 680683 or 07914 725423.
To launch the new season, John and Helen are staging a spring exhibition of their paintings and drawings on Sunday, May 1, 8 and 15 and Saturday, May 14, open from 10am-5pm and admission is free.
Always looking to entice the visitor, landlord Dave Higgins at The Hole in the Wall is offering something completely different to his normal excellent music entertainment programme and is staging a Derby Milk Theatre presentation called Joan on Sunday, May 8, at 7.30pm.
Joan, starring drag idol champion Lucy Jane Parkinson, is presenting a comic fizz based on the Joan of Arc story. Full of emotion and empathy, the series of playlets looks at the issues surrounding cross-dressing from the female perspective.
As I have stated in previous articles, the twice weekly market is the main stay of the footfall into the town centre and the market traders are keen to hold themed events to encourage more visitors to the town.
Their next event is a charity auction on Saturday, May 28, raising money for the local Special Care Baby Unit. Members of the public are requested to bring donations for the auction to Julia at The Sizzling Grill from 7am. The auction will begin at noon and all the money will go to the charity.
Hope to see you there!
