4,000 boxes on show for Grimsby Christmas Market – Fishupdate.com
4,000 boxes on show for Grimsby Christmas Market Published: 27 December, 2006
Martyn Boyers
MORE than 4,000 boxes appeared on Grimsby Fish Market today in the biggest festive display for at least a decade.
The Icelandic supplier Atlantic Fresh brought in a container ship over the weekend and, for the first time in many years, both the Grimsby Market and Hull’s Fishgate opened for normal business between Christmas and New Year.
Trade at Grimsby was brisk with most of the port’s fish merchants putting in an appearance. Prices for good quality fish remained reasonably firm, although some small haddock struggled to find a buyer. Around 800 boxes were set aside for export to France and other fish hungry European countries.
Steve Norton, chief executive of the Grimsby Fish Merchants Association, said: “It was a good market today and we are expecting a further 1,200 boxes or so for tomorrow. We have been open in a small way between the two holidays before, but nothing as large or as important as this.
“The market was fairly busy for post Christmas and this shows what can happen when we get a reasonable period of notification. There wasn’t a lot fish around in the run up to Christmas, which is probably why so many people were buying up what was available today. There was something for everybody, which, in effect, sums up the strength of the Grimsby Market.”
He added: “It is surprising how quickly the public turns away from rich Christmas food to more traditional fare. I was in our seaside town of Cleethorpes on Boxing Day and dozens of people were queuing up outside one fish and chip restaurant.”
Martyn Boyers, chief executive of Grimsby Fish Dock Enterprises, had said earlier that the large display showed the strength of the Grimsby Market. Preparation for the market began on Boxing Day night for the keen demand from local processing factories and merchants buying to supply the fried fish trade. The first major market opening of 2007 is scheduled for Wednesday, January 3.
Icelandic supplies were also diverted across the Humber and Hull’s Fishgate was open today with over 1,000 boxes including 700 boxes of haddock and 250 boxes of cod, on display. Again demand was good.
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