Fruit and veg trader exits Lymington’s Saturday market after 40 years

A FAMILY that has run a fruit and veg stall at Lymington’s popular Saturday market for three generations will say a final farewell to their customers this weekend.

Wayne Bellows has been pitching up in the High Street for the last 40 years; before him his mum and dad, Jim and Dot, ran a stall in the town, and his grandfather Billy traded there after the war, in the 1940s.

“I’ve been there most of my life,” said the 59-year-old, who will take up his position outside Tesco for the last time tomorrow (Saturday). “It’s been hard lately because the price of fruit and veg has gone up a hell of a lot.

“Plus I’ve started to get arthritis in my hands and I don’t think I could do another winter there. My kids aren’t interested in taking over the stall, though.

“When I first started I had a pitch at Ringwood and we used to make a mint. At Lymington, my stall was one of eight fruit stalls.

“Things have changed a lot over the years, and at my age I can’t deal with all these changes. But I’d like to say thank you to all my customers – I’ll be sad to leave but the show must go on.”

Wayne, who has three children and three grandchildren and lives in Rushington, is jetting off to Spain to “get away” on Monday, and then he’ll be taking up taxi driving and playing “lots of golf”.

“One door shuts and another door opens,” he said.

Lymington has had a market for 800 years.