Byron Markets Awarded 5 Year Leases by Council

Byron Markets, managed by the Byron Community Centre, has been granted 5 year leases by Byron Shire Council. The Byron Bay Community Association (BBCA) has been awarded all three markets tendered for, including: Byron Community Market, Byron Twilight Artisan Market and Byron Beachside Artisan Market.

“We are happy to keep supporting local businesses,” says Kate Hardman, Byron Markets Manager. “Having done it for over 30 years, we have the expertise to keep improving the markets and supporting our micro business community.”

Offering unique experiences through each market, the Beachside, Twilight and Community markets provide income for hundreds of small local businesses and their families, and a way for stallholders to connect with visitors and the community.

“We love Byron Markets because of the incredible creativity and quality we can see in each and every stall, it's an inspiring environment,” says Byron Snack Company stallholder, Alina Avotina. “We offer free tastings at the markets and we love to hear each and every customer be like: Oh, this is so good!”

“Through COVID when we were forced to close down for four months, we noticed how important markets are to the local economy. We are passionate about making Byron’s most iconic markets as sustainable and successful as possible,” adds Kate.

Byron Markets aim to support the needs of the local community, with all funds raised from stallholder fees used to keep the  Byron Community Centre operational and cover those costs not included in grants, funding and donations. 

"As a social enterprise, Byron Markets help to support community projects at the Byron Community Centre, so we have again secured this income source for assisting the disadvantaged in our community, including homeless breakfast and showers.” says Graham Double, Byron Community Market Manager.

Council has recently been seeking community feedback on a proposal to permanently relocate the monthly Byron Community Market from the Main Beach foreshore to Railway Park and surrounds in the centre of town.

“We know that Council have agreed to have car-free Sundays once a month,” says Kate. “The markets can fill that space with people, life and activity, contributing to the vibrancy of the town centre on those days. CBD markets bring customers to not only the market themselves, but to the local retailers as well.”

The current license for the Community Market is for Butler Street Reserve with no option to stay at the Main Beach foreshore. The beachside location has always been temporary as the community and the long term environmental impacts at the site are unknown.

“We are excited about the prospect of moving into the town centre but this is still very much in the early planning stages,” explains Kate. “Right now we are grateful to have the opportunity to continue to provide amazing markets for our community.”

Find out more: www.byronmarkets.com.au