Billericay's Chantry Centre to host seasonal fayre

On Saturday, December 11 the Chantry Centre, which opened in March, will host the inaugural Billericay Seasonal Market.

The fayre is the brainchild of Billericay resident and fellow small-business owner Melissa Shelley of Jemelma Designs, who had the idea following a chat with a friends who also own businesses.

"I was aware that there have been many start-up businesses in the area - many of whom, like me, started up in lockdown,” she said.

“It was already a challenge starting up in that climate but for the lockdown to have turned into a second and third one meant that it was hard to establish a customer base.”

“Many of us had to put our businesses on the back burner whilst we juggled home-schooling. Add to that, the issues with shipping, the Suez Canal debacle, the petrol crisis and I just thought that these people could do with a leg up - a light at the end of a pretty long tunnel.”

The four0hour event will see 32 stalls open up for business at 10.30am, with stalls dotted around the main hall as well as the meeting rooms upstairs.

“It’s been testing times recently,” Melissa, a former event manager, added. “We are trying to get people to come back to the high streets because everyone has been buying online for so long.

“It’s all independent local businesses on show so hopefully residents will be able to make it down and support us.”

The mother and businesswoman opened her first business Jemelma Designs, a bespoke personalised gifts and homeware store during lockdown.

Joining her are businesses such as Nic-Eco Rehil Hub, Billericay’s new eco friendly store designed to help residents reduce their plastic usage by purchasing food and household goods that haven’t been packaged.

“It'll be a great opportunity for locals to learn more about local businesses and will give them a chance to see the Chantry Centre as it was sadly closed for much of its first year due to Covid,” Melissa said.