Why don't we have decent markets in the UK?

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I'm in Brussels, and walked through the most amazing market near the station.
Fruit, vegetables, breads, fabric, clothing, hardware. Anything you could possibly want.
I live in Bristol, and there's certainly nothing like it here.
Are there decent markets in the UK, or do we prefer getting stuff from supermarkets?

Another fan of Bury market.

And Todmorden

Barnsley are spending millions transforming the market and central areas of town

I went to Barnsley not so long ago because I wanted to see an exhibition and was surprised how smart the town centre was. Parking was very reasonable too, so it's nice that they recognise that this is what gets people visiting.

They too have taken up the 'street food vendors and communal bar and seating area' concept and I had a lovely lunch on the terrace in the sun.

I'm not sure I've ever been before despite only living a half hour drive away, but might go back especially as there's also good walking in the area and I regularly go for a walk and then look for food and have shopping to do.

I now need to try Bury, somewhere else I'm not sure I've ever been but sounds like a decent day out, countryside walk, lunch and visit the 'world famous' market.

@Bjorkdidit The new central area by The Glassworks is used for all sorts of events these days and really does draw the crowds - Barnsley Live, other musical events (Tom Walker did a free gig there last year) continental markets, food festivals, events for children in the holidays etc.

DD and I enjoyed a lovely lunch at an outside table in the sunshine at The Botanist a while back and it felt like we were on holiday.

Barnsley town centre is bucking the trend, and people come from other nearby towns to visit.

They ars converting a lot of the retail units in the Alhambra shopping centre for the NHS to use. They already have the screening and diagnostic department in The Glassworks, which is brilliant because it is much easier for people to get to on public transport and parking is much better than parking at the hospital.

Parking in Barnsley is plentiful for a town of that size.

No, I don't work for the tourist office 😀

I think that is the problem. If some of us are not regulars. I really should go to Shepherds Bush market more - considering people had tried to get rid of it. I don't tend to buy off the stalls but there are open shops to the side. I got some passion fruit that were not the usual wrinkly ones. They were smooth and yellow coloured, from Columbia. So of course I bought some for our Columbian porter who was thrilled! I found them sweeter than the wrinkly ones but prefer the sharper wrinkly ones.

Yep, Tod, Leeds, Bury, Barnsley -- all good markets. Hebden is good when the piemen come. I quite like York when you can fight through the tourists but who can be buggered. The cardamom buns on Saturday market in Tod are incredible, and the butcher at the front makes brilliant sausages. I don't like the tat markets myself, depressing, but my dad loves them. Barnsley market, wow, it's got everything - always busy that place, and done up so nicely. There're really loads of good markets in Yorkshire and Lancashire, to be fair.

Never been to Tod market although I cycle through regularly and know exactly where it is. Tod’s about 12 miles north from me. Will pay a visit thanks to recommends on here.

Nice to see Barnsley being appreciated on here.

It has a rather negative reputation but I think visitors are very pleasantly surprised.

@PauliesWalnuts snap, I love Bury Market! It's a monthly treat on a Saturday morning to go and stock the freezer with meat, pick up loads of fresh fruit, veg and dairy which lasts a couple of weeks if I'm careful with what gets used first and then lunch at Katsouris. If I'm feeling really flush I go to Wax and Beans for coffee and a browse too 💕. Can't get there every week so I do use the supermarket in between but the produce isn't as good. I did once say that if there was a wine shop I'd never have to set foot in a supermarket ever again as there's enough stalls that sell cheap cleaning products too

100% agree.

I've remembered that we used to have a great farmers market of local produce but that stopped well over a decade ago. Now it just goes to the nice local county towns and doesn't stop at ours.

Because markets are more expensive. People don't care enough about good food to spend more on tomatoes that taste like tomatoes, they'd rather have the watery tomatoes from the supermarket at a cheaper price.
People also want to buy food when it's out of season - they expect tomatoes in December and farmer's markets don't offer that.
Most people don't cook from scratch anymore, even salad is bought in a sealed bag, washed and ready to eat.
They want to do their shopping without paying for parking. Traditionally, markets are in town centres where parking spaces are scarce and costly. Or the market is somewhere out of town and it's not on the way back from work etc.
People have very little time and if they go to the market, they will also need to go to the supermarket for other things.

In short, there are many reasons not to go to markets, and very few reasons to go there. I go to our local market every Saturday because I am passionate about good food, and the fruit and veg at the supermarket has no flavour in comparison to the ones I buy at the market. However, if I did buy everything at the supermarket I'd save time and money so I do understand people who never go to markets.