First ever market to be held at Treadgolds in Portsmouth with 19 local traders in attendance

TWO keen business women have organised ‘the first ever’ market at the historic site of the Treadgolds buildings for dozens of local traders to sell their products.
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Naomi Harris and Sam Cooper, from Southsea, decided that after a dip in opportunities to sell their goods during the pandemic, Treadgolds in Portsmouth provided a ‘fantastic’ space for shoppers to come back to revive markets again.

The Victorian site is undergoing a £3m restoration project after being bought by the John Pounds Project in Portsea in 2013 and residents and volunteers have so far transformed the disused courtyard into a ‘unique’ community green space to breathe ‘new life and purpose’ into the warehouse.

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Sam who owns her own indoor plant delivery business, Grounded in Southsea, and Naomi, who owns The Home Spa, were eager to bring together other local businesses at the base and will be joined by 17 other traders this Saturday (April 9) to be part of the first ever market at the site.

Preview of Treadgolds Market at Treadgolds, Portsea, Portsmouth on Monday 4th April 2022

Pictured: Naomi Harris of The Home Spa and Sam Cooper of Grounded at Southsea at Treadgolds, Portsea

Picture: Habibur RahmanPreview of Treadgolds Market at Treadgolds, Portsea, Portsmouth on Monday 4th April 2022

Pictured: Naomi Harris of The Home Spa and Sam Cooper of Grounded at Southsea at Treadgolds, Portsea

Picture: Habibur Rahman
Preview of Treadgolds Market at Treadgolds, Portsea, Portsmouth on Monday 4th April 2022 Pictured: Naomi Harris of The Home Spa and Sam Cooper of Grounded at Southsea at Treadgolds, Portsea Picture: Habibur Rahman

Sam said: ‘A mutual friend of ours suggested that it would be a fantastic building and that it was somewhere that would be of interest to people, not only to come to a market but to look at the renovation project that they're working on there.

‘We’ve both done local markets before, so we approached people who we had done markets with before. Quite a lot of us do the Love Southsea markets in Palmerston Road but because of Covid there haven’t been as many opportunities to do things indoors.

‘People have just started being more comfortable going into spaces. We both felt that there was an opportunity there. It's just a one off event and another opportunity in the city.’

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Among the vendors will be Portsmouth art business, Honey and Incense, Lulu’s Blooms from Southsea, Soap and Rose based in Purbrook, Solent Wick candles, Craft and Tonic, Island Hampers and Junk Yard Funk Yard in Southsea.

Preview of Treadgolds Market at Treadgolds, Portsea, Portsmouth on Monday 4th April 2022

Pictured: Naomi Harris of The Home Spa and Sam Cooper of Grounded at Southsea at Treadgolds, Portsea

Picture: Habibur RahmanPreview of Treadgolds Market at Treadgolds, Portsea, Portsmouth on Monday 4th April 2022

Pictured: Naomi Harris of The Home Spa and Sam Cooper of Grounded at Southsea at Treadgolds, Portsea

Picture: Habibur Rahman
Preview of Treadgolds Market at Treadgolds, Portsea, Portsmouth on Monday 4th April 2022 Pictured: Naomi Harris of The Home Spa and Sam Cooper of Grounded at Southsea at Treadgolds, Portsea Picture: Habibur Rahman

Sam adds: ‘It’s such a beautiful space. They started off by doing the garden where people can sit out and they're growing vegetables and things for people in the community. It's such a lovely place and I don't think many people know it's there.’

The site, first developed in the early 18th century was built to house navy personnel to ease the pressure on the growing population in the city.

After ceasing trading as an ironmongers in 1988, it was sold to Hampshire County Council which transformed it into a museum from 1995 to 2003.

Preview of Treadgolds Market at Treadgolds, Portsea, Portsmouth on Monday 4th April 2022

Pictured: Naomi Harris of The Home Spa and Sam Cooper of Grounded at Southsea at Treadgolds, Portsea

Picture: Habibur RahmanPreview of Treadgolds Market at Treadgolds, Portsea, Portsmouth on Monday 4th April 2022

Pictured: Naomi Harris of The Home Spa and Sam Cooper of Grounded at Southsea at Treadgolds, Portsea

Picture: Habibur Rahman
Preview of Treadgolds Market at Treadgolds, Portsea, Portsmouth on Monday 4th April 2022 Pictured: Naomi Harris of The Home Spa and Sam Cooper of Grounded at Southsea at Treadgolds, Portsea Picture: Habibur Rahman
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Numerous projects are now under way at the site, including the transformation of the Victorian warehouse into a meeting and conference space.

The Treadgolds Market will take place from 10am to 4pm. Visit johnpoundscentre.co.uk for more information.

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