Trading on Newcastle Quayside - what I have learnt so far

Things I have learnt with almost 1 year of trading at Newcastle Quayside Market

To mark almost a year of trading on Newcastle Quayside I wanted to share some thoughts about this life changing experience. I am sure you will appreciate that being out in all weathers and giving up your Sunday lie in is not an easy thing to do. Especially when you are approaching your 50th birthday. But if you have ever thought about being a permanent trader on a market I am hoping this blog post will give you some insight into my journey and help you make an informed decision.

The quayside market has been running since 1736 which is mind-blowing. Learning this made me realise what an iconic event this is and also the legacy that I would now be part of. This felt like such a huge responsibility in some ways. As I am an adopted North Easterner, having moved to the area as a student back in 1998, I have always had a very emotional connection to the region. For me, the North East, specifically Newcastle and Gateshead have become my home. That word home encapsulates so much doesn’t it? And it is quite a simple word. But for me finding my place as a bit of a misfit has been a lifelong search. And finding a new trading home on the quayside has been the final piece in the puzzle that I have been searching for. 

My good friend and creative entrepreneur Ashleigh King from Flamingo Heights calls my North East collections my "love letter to the northeast" and she isn’t wrong. With every collection I create I am celebrating the rich heritage and architecture oand sharing my love of this part of the UK to highlight all of the places that I have fallen in love with over the years. While also learning about North East industry and the rich communities that have been built around it and tapping into the lost heritage of different locations such as the Staiths collection is a real passion for me. I relish the opportunity to talk about the Staiths and this monument to the coal industry that is protected and preserved. Telling tourist who visit Newcastle Quayside Market all about this site is one of my favourite interactions. I have almost become a bit of a tourist information centre for people which I absolutely love!!

My customers on the quayside are often surprised by the other collections that I have designed for different locations throughout the UK. I now have the following collections Brighton, Durham, Edinburgh, Lake District Authors Houses, London, Manchester, Newcastle, North Tyneside Coast, Northumberland, Puffins (Frane Islands), Saltwell Park, Whitley Bay & York. 

So what have I learnt with almost one year of trading on the quayside? Well below is a list that I am sure I will add to as the years go by. But for now I hope you enjoy my thoughts on this very unique and special journey. 

Weather

There is no bad weather just bad clothing, preparation for all weathers is key. The worst weather that we encounter on the quayside is a combination of rain and wind. This is not ideal for fine bone china, but I have created a stall that means everything is secure, safe and sound when trading in all weathers. I do keep a close eye on the weather forecast though, and thermals and a heated jacket are a must for the colder months. Did you know that the market officers have to monitor the wind on the quayside to make sure it is safe? And that under each permanent stall there is a huge stone weighing it down? I had no idea about this until I started trading on the quayside. 

The Market Trading Community

Your market trade community have lots of years of experience to share and when you are having a bad day they will support you. When I started trading on the quayside I had to win the trust and acceptance of the tightly knit market trading community. It’s fair to say they put me through my paces and I had to prove myself at the very beginning of this journey. But once you become part of this community they are amazing. They will help you when you are having a challenging day, and share their advice and top tips with you when you need help. I have Steve and Linda from Plantopia on one side, they sell the most amazing plants and of course I had to buy one for my home. Steve plays the best tunes from the 80s which takes me back to my childhood. And then on the other side I have the fabulous Clair from The Little Cakery By The Sea. We have so many things in common from our kids to our love of Brighton and it’s wonderful to be able to have a good catch up with someone who is on a similar journey to me. I love getting to know all of the small business owners around me and hearing all about their experiences. They have a wealth of knowledge that should be captured. 

Meeting new customers and clients

It’s a great way to meet new customers and potential clients. Being in a place consistently helps people connect with Powder Butterfly. Online you are competing against huge brands that have huge marketing teams and budgets. On the quayside you can let the products do the talking and if people know you are going to be there every week that helps them feel connected to you and the ever-changing creativity in your business. I tend to have limited edition products that sell out and once they are gone that’s it this keeps things fresh and encourages people to buy things as soon as they see them. Rather than waiting and hoping they will be there at a later date. My advice is if you see it and love it, then buy it!! There is no guarantee that I will get more stock in and once it’s gone it’s gone!! 

Customer Feedback

Trading at a regular market is a great way to see what products draw people's attention. One of the downsides of online sales is that you cannot see people’s real-time reaction to the products you create. And as a creative, I thrive on feedback. Seeing people’s faces light up when they see your products and tell you they love them is my ultimate joy. Back when I first started my product design journey I designed my Flying Angels tea towel which is still going strong to this day. And the joyful reaction it still receives over a decade later is wonderful. Bringing joy with the products I make is my ultimate aim, but being able to see what products people are drawn to is helpful on a practical level. It allows me to see what my best sellers are, test pricing and offers, develop more products around collections that are popular and test new products and ideas with my amazing customers. 

It’s a great way to test new products and see what people want more of. Without investing a huge amount of money in a product that people won’t like. I have touched on this already. But expanding on this I would say that you can do this online through social media. But I really love asking people what they think. And getting their honest reaction to new ideas. I will be using the quayside to test a range of new product ideas I have for 2025. I think it’s super important to be responsive to your customers while also staying true to your values and design style. For example, I only design in black and white and I have a flash of red on certain designs, I get my products made exclusively with British manufacturers, and where possible I use local suppliers. Buying from British manufacturers and local suppliers reduces waste and our carbon footprint and producing in small batches, reusing packaging and providing packaging that is bio-degradable also helps my company prioritise sustainability. Sharing these values and details with customers helps them understand the positive impact of their purchase and empowers them to do good while shopping. 

Creating Best Selling Products

I have touched upon why customer feedback is so important and my plans to test new products in 2025. To develop best-selling products for any brand is the holy grail. And having a constant feedback loop from customers helps you develop not only your product range but also your marketing strategy.  This has been the most invaluable part of trading on the quayside. And will continue to be. 

My Values align with Customer Values

My customers love shopping local and love that I buy my stock from British manufacturers and local suppliers. This isn’t surprising, but it is very encouraging to see that more and more consumers have a desire to buy British products and if they are locally made then that seals the deal. Educating customers about how their hard-earned cash can give back to the local economy and make sure we are all better off is something that has been so easy. When you buy from Powder Butterfly you are supporting multiple small businesses. Multiple businesses in the North East are my suppliers, my fine bone china is made in Stoke on Trent the home of Wedgwood, and all of my pins, keyrings and cuff links are made in Birmingham which is the jewellery quarter of Britain. Consumers love this and are very proud to share my products with their friends and family as a result. 

Convenience and supporting another local business

Giving customers the option to pick up their orders from me on the quayside has been brilliant as it helps them avoid postage costs and they can check out new products when they visit me. But letting them know that online orders will be shipped from a local fulfilment centre has also been very popular. Knowing that through my online business, I am supporting another local business brings me joy, but it’s also another thing to shout about when it comes to my strategy to keep everything as local as possible. My customers can also pick up their orders from my fulfilment centre for free too which is another bonus. 

Special offers and clearing stock

I love a bargain and being able to offer our customers exclusive bundle deals and discounts is wonderful. Keeping things fresh and selling off products that I have had for a while at discounted rates has been great. This frees up space and generates enough income to create fresh designs and new products. This renewal of products means that our customers also get exclusive access to limited edition products. This means that they have a chance to own something reflective of Powder Butterfly’s design journey and be the proud owners of exclusive and high-quality products that connect them to the places they have travelled and hold in their hearts. 

Products for every budget

Having products to meet a variety of incomes is so important. The cheapest product we have are postcards for £1. My customers range from students, tourists and local residents. Tourists buy products as keepsakes of their visit, local people buy my products for themselves, family and friends and for people who have left the region, students buy products for their student accommodation, their parents and their family who live overseas. I love that I have such a wide variety of customers from all over the world and that I am also part of the next generation of students journeys that have come to study in the North East. I often tell students and their parents that I came to Newcastle in 1998, and loved it so much that I never left. Students understand why I have never left, some parents agree, and some parents look a little crestfallen at the thought that their child might settle in the Northeast. But overall moving to a new city and exploring the North East brings so much joy to everyone I meet on the quayside. 

Sleep is your friend  

I need a good nights sleep on a Saturday otherwise my energy level is low and my sales are affected. So my weekend now starts on a Friday and I try to have two days off. Although sometimes this isn’t possible. And there have been times where this year I have worked 14 days straight. But I realised quite quickly that this was not sustainable so I have started to get pretty territorial about my time off. If I don’t have a break then I will burn out and when it comes to the weekend my sales will be down. It takes a lot of energy to sell on the quayside as it’s like being on stage for 8 hours and that takes a huge amount of energy and focus. I am also neurodiverse which means that I have a number of sensory challenges that really drain my energy. But that is a topic for another time. 

Working alone can be lonely 

I work alone for most of the week working on Powder Butterfly and my Community Interest Company Creative Heritage Studios. So my week can be quite isolating. One thing I hadn’t anticipated about the market is that it would be such a sociable experience. I have loved meeting so many new people on the quayside from all over the world. And I love how people from overseas are blown away by the North East of England. Cementing it in my mind as a five-star international destination where there is so much to see and do. Also, I get to catch up with my fellow stall holders and hear their news which is brilliant. 

Tourist information point 

As previously mentioned I have become a bit of a tourist information stall. This is where I get to share my local knowledge of the places I design collections for. It’s wonderful to share my love of the North East with visitors. The fact that this place has been my home since 1998 and I have dedicated over a decade to creating posh souvenirs that shout about this beautiful place is endorsement enough for so many of my customers on the quayside. 

Behind the scenes - My Fella is the best cheerleader

I couldn’t do what I do without my husband helping me by packing the car and driving me down early every Sunday morning and picking me up at the end of the day. He also helps me by keeping things organised and refreshing stock. But on an emotional level he is there when I feel overwhelmed, he boosts my confidence when I am feeling tired or facing a challenging moment. He has supported me in all of my creative exploits and I would say he is the reason that I have had the confidence to keep going even through lockdown and beyond. He is my ultimate cheerleader and someone who is not seen often on my social media as that’s not his comfort zone. But I couldn’t do what I do without his help that’s for sure. I feel very lucky to have him supporting me. 

Sticking to my values has become even more important to me

I feel more passionate than when I started to keep creating new collections and supporting other small businesses by getting my products manufactured in the UK and where possible using local suppliers. And my customer's response to this on the quayside has made me even more determined to keep going. If I can do good while running a small business and help my local community then that is wonderful. I have some big plans on how we can expand the positive contribution we make in 2025 so watch this space. I couldn’t do any of this without my amazing customers. And your purchases and support in whatever form it comes is phenomenal. You are the reason that Powder Butterfly exists and getting to meet so many of you on the quayside has been such a joy. 

It’s clear that my values of creating designed and made posh souvenirs in Britain and supporting multiple local suppliers have really resonated with you all. This means my values and my customer's values are aligned, this brings me so much joy.  

People Watching brings me joy

Having a stall on the quayside means you get to see so many different people's unique style. I love fashion so this has been a really wonderful way to enjoy an eclectic mix of creativity. Perhaps I should start documenting this through the seasons. It might inspire me to be more adventurous!! I have also seen a few famous faces on the quayside from Brenda Blethyn, Timothy Spall to Jennifer Saunders. It's always a magical moment when you see someone that you have seen in films and TV series. And I am keeping my eye out for more celebrities thats for sure. 

Final Thoughts 

Being a permanent trader at an all year round outdoor market requires grit and determination. You need to be bold, brave and committed. My strategy has been to be optimistic, friendly, approachable and welcoming. This has really helped me connect with stall holders and my customers.

Being open to changing your strategy, trying new products, pricing and creating deals for your customers is so important. If something isn't working change it, everything is a learning experience. 

You need a support system around you to help you achieve your goals, this support can come from friends, family, customers, mentors and your peer group. 

Would I do anything differently? Honestly no I wouldn't, the only thing I would do in hindsight is to start trading on the quayside sooner. 

I would love to know if you have learnt anything new about trading on the quayside, or if it has inspired you to become a permanent trader at a similar market. 

Signing off for now.

Corinne :)

You will find me trading on Newcastle Quayside every Sunday. I’m #MadeByDyslexia & ADHD Expect tiny typos & big ideas.