Sneinton Market Community Grows
Tied Up in Notts founder Rob Mackinder
Sneinton Market Avenues has been developing as a home for independent businesses for several years now, but it now feels as though it has reached a level of development. What was once a collection of individual studios, shops and food businesses is becoming a proper neighbourhood economy — somewhere people come to eat, drink and shop, but increasingly somewhere they make things, meet people and spend time too.
For anyone living at Fruit Market, this is happening practically on the doorstep.
And it gives this part of Nottingham something that is difficult to manufacture through conventional development: a genuine sense of place.
An independent quarter that has grown organically
Rather than being occupied by the familiar national operators, the Avenues have filled gradually with independent local businesses, makers and producers. Some are now well established -Luisa's makes chocolate from bean to bar in Sneinton Market. Blend has become one of the area's established speciality coffee shops. Breadmill Bakery produces naturally fermented sourdough, Stewards Coffee Roasters are on the door step, Workings Man’s Kitchen pizza is locals favourite, while Running Circle Records brings another dimension entirely: an independent record shop rooted in Nottingham's music scene.
Tom Towle, Founder of Running Circle Records
They are very different businesses, but collectively they have helped establish the character of the area. You don't necessarily come to Sneinton Market because you need something. Increasingly, you come because you want to see what's happening and be part of the community.
Harvey’s Farm Shop butchers.
The next generation is arriving
A new generation of food and drink businesses is arriving alongside those already established. Yello Yard brings high quality Jamaican food and freshly baked Jamaican bread into the Avenues, while Foragers Kitchen expands the area's independent plant-based food offer. Harvey’s Farm Shop offers locally reared lamb from their own farm alongside and meats sourced from local farms.
Neon Raptor has become one of Nottingham's best-known independent breweries and is moving into larger premises at Sneinton Market. Brew Cavern, meanwhile, adds a specialist beer shop and bar to the mix, with an emphasis on interesting independent brewing, world class Belgium beers and natural wines too.
And there is more coming. The team behind Essen and Wright's Wine are opening a natural wine and snack bar, adding another independently run evening destination.
Neon Raptor are expanding their brewery tap
A place where things are actually made
Perhaps the most interesting part of Sneinton Market's development is that it isn't simply becoming another collection of places selling food and drink. Food is being made here.
The Nottingham Mill Co-op is a particularly good example. The cooperative mill is creating infrastructure for small-scale food production around locally and regionally grown grain, stoneground flour and independent baking. It connects Sneinton Market with a much bigger movement towards shorter food chains and organic food.
The Co-op includes market bakers like Sourdough Pretzel specialist Tied Up in Notts, already familiar to people who visit Nottingham's independent markets. There is also The Secret Baker who specialises in biscuits and the Missing Miller who supplies freshly milled flour.
That creates a different kind of local economy. Flour can be milled here. Bread can be baked here. Chocolate can be made here. Beer can be brewed here. Coffee can be prepared by independent specialists and records selected and sold by people who genuinely care about music. That's what forms a great community, and its right on the door step of Fruit Market.