This month saw the first Peddler Night Market at its brand new location on Burton Road. With the temperature dropping and snow having already made its first appearance, this new indoor venue came as a welcome move for the hundreds who braved the wind and rain for a taste of independent Sheffield.
It was Friday evening that we made our way to Peddler, arriving just after 8pm having followed a trail of knitwear and umbrellas towards the warm glow breaking through the dark of Kelham Island’s industrial heart. We were instantly greeted by small crowds of people clasping golden pints and huddling by The Hop Box, who had set up shop by the main entrance. We took a quick look at their drinks menu and decided to make our way inside until the queue died down.
The space inside the warehouse itself was surprisingly soft and inviting, achieved by the many metres of fairy lights hanging from the ceiling and around the stalls, making for a beautiful ‘industrial meets festive’ feel. We weaved our way through smiling faces, backpacks and glimpses of dishes from each of the different stalls and found that, as well as the usual food and drink vendors, there was also a significant arts section, with traders selling everything from screen prints to skate decks, which made for a really nice addition and a good spot for picking up a few stocking fillers.
After a while spent scoping each stall out and bumping into friends, we made our way back to The Hop Box for a deliciously chocolatey pint of Great Yorkshire Brewery’s Yorkshire Blackout. Choosing which food to try out took a little more discussion, with stalls from independent traders Crepe Lucette, Nether Edge Pizza Company, The Depot Bakery and Smoqued, to name a few.
Eventually – the choice made slightly easier by the fact we’re both pescatarian, or ‘occasionally naughty vegetarians’ – we decided on Fish and Chips from The Hip Hop Chip Shop and we weren’t disappointed. A big, fat helping of homemade chips, mushy peas and gorgeous white fish in thick, beer-based batter made for a generous sharer between the two of us, although we could have easily seen off one each.
After eating, we whiled away 20 minutes people watching from one of the much sought-after armchairs by the main bar and then made our final circuit through the crowd. We stopped at the dance floor, which had begun to fill up to the uplifting beats of Trojan Explosion playing a welcome mix of ska, rocksteady and soul, and then made our way out into the cold night air.
Akin to The Boilershop, a similarly successful night market in Newcastle, Peddler Night Market seems to have found a fitting backdrop in its new location for Sheffield’s independent traders, a space for people to feel a sense of community and good old fashioned ‘getting togetherness’. If you didn’t make this month, make sure you make the effort in the New Year.
Words: Danielle Mustarde
