LOCAL food producers are revitalising York’s Newgate Market with a cluster of stalls.

The group, which sets out its stalls on Fridays and calls itself Yorkshire Truly, is made up of independent local producers seeking a different outlet for their wares, and are welcoming others to join them.

One of the founding members, Claire Davies, from Acomb, who set up Grace, a food preserves businesses in April last year, said: “The idea came from a lot of frustration about being able to find spots we thought we could afford and wanting to have something we had a bit more control over. York Market was a good venue to access local customers and tourists.

“We felt that as a group we were able to give much more energy to it than as individual stallholders. We all thought it would be great, but on our own we would get a bit lost.

“It can be quite isolating running a small business from home,” she said. Claire said Yorkshire Truly aimed to provide a friendly and supportive environment, where small producers could offer a good-quality product to customers.

The group also includes The Gingerbread House, from Whitby; Daisy Bank, a West Yorkshire business making pesto and pasta sauces; chocolate drop confectioners Toftly Treats, based in Newton-upon-Rawcliffe, and Ruler Hall Rare Breed Pork.

The businesses will trade separately from their eight-stall block, but stand out with matching table cloths.

Truly Yorkshire will hold an official launch event on Good Friday, with a gazebo in the market at its entrance near Cox’s Leather Shop in Shambles, where it will give away a Yorkshire Truly hamper worth more than £30.

Raffle tickets are available to buy from the stalls, which are already trading on Fridays leading up to the official launch.

Claire said: “We have three empty stalls behind our block, so we are still on the lookout for more stallholders to join us.”