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The award winners were chosen by the National Association of British Market Authorities (NABMA) and presented at their conference today (31 January 2013) in Birmingham.

The winners are:

Best private market: Brixton Village Market Row, London.

Best speciality market: Walsall Night Market.

Best small speciality market: Mr Big, Market Rasen (a Portas pilot town).

Best outdoor market: Portobello and Golborne Road Market, London.

Best small outdoor market: Swadlincotes Market and Farmers Market.

Best indoor market: Queen鈥檚 Gate Market, Huddersfield (Kirklees).

Best small indoor market: Southport.

Best local council market: Oswestry.

Best wholesale market: New Spitalfields, London.

Best market attraction: Birmingham Christmas Market.

Britain鈥檚 favourite market: Darlington.

Don Foster said:

鈥淚 congratulate all the winners on their work providing outstanding markets for local people to shop at, supporting the local economy and creating jobs. High streets are facing a tough time at the moment with household name shops closing and strong competition from internet sales 鈥� yet many markets across the country are thriving. All today鈥檚 award winners and nominees are playing a vital role in keeping their local high street flourishing.鈥�

Rejuvenating high streets

Speaking at the event the minister highlighted the critical role markets can play in encouraging people to revisit their high streets and making them the beating hearts of their communities.

And today, he confirmed 拢25,000 funding to help support the industry鈥檚 campaign in May, offering opportunities for budding entrepreneurs to try their business ideas at events across the country.

Other government measures to regenerate the country鈥檚 high streets include:

• 27 towns named as 鈥楶ortas pilots鈥�, benefiting jointly from government and Mary Portas鈥檚 advice on how to improve their high street

• the creation of 340 鈥榯own team partners鈥� within councils across the country receiving government funding to come up with plans to regenerate town centres

• the relaxation of planning red tape making it easier for councils to grant planning permission for 鈥榩op up shops鈥�

• providing rates relief to support small businesses

Mr Foster added:

鈥淚 want to do everything possible to support our markets and high streets as a vital place where people from all backgrounds meet as well as shop, and tomorrow鈥檚 entrepreneurs cut their teeth.

鈥淭his is why I have today announced government is supporting the campaign this summer, helping councils promote local markets and encouraging young people in particular to become market traders.鈥�

UK markets in facts and figures

Retail Markets Association research shows the UK has:

• 1,124 traditional retail markets and 605 farmers鈥� markets
• over 45,700 retail traders, and an estimated 95,000 people directly employed on retail markets
• 1,000 wholesale businesses and an estimated 10,000 people directly employed on wholesale markets
• a total retail market turnover of over 拢3.5 billion a year, and a wholesale market turnover of 拢4.1 billion a year

Don Foster and Adam Corbally were accompanied at the awards presentation by Jeremy Bradin of KPR Midlink who sponsor the competition and NABMA President Councillor Geraldine Carter.