The Farmers Union of Wales (FUW) has been at the heart of discussions to bring back a mart to Cowbridge.
The FUW said that it is “widely accepted that the heart of our agricultural and rural communities is a livestock market, and Cowbridge was no exception”.
It envisions that the mart would return as part of a multi-purpose resource centre.
The vision is that this resource centre will have a meeting room, hot desk facilities for all types of business, catering facilities and the building will be as multi-functioning as possible; it is in discussion with local councils to move this project forward.
Cowbridge Mart
Known as a market town for 750 years, Cowbridge benefitted from farmers and their families visiting the town to carry out their weekly business – calling in at the feed merchants, doing their grocery shopping, as well as the important trip to the bank whilst carrying out the business of buying and selling their livestock at the weekly market.
The effects of the closure of the livestock market in Cowbridge were felt across a wide area, but especially by the local communities with the loss of trade to high street businesses and the subsequent banking facilities closing.
After years of selling livestock, the market has been demolished and is now used as a carpark.
‘A local market is crucial’
FUW member Charlotte Llewellyn of Cefncolstyn Farm, Pentyrch said:
“If the Welsh government is genuine about promoting sustainable farming and for local people to eat local produce, then butchers need local abattoirs processing local livestock from local markets produced by local farmers.
“In Glamorgan the nearest livestock markets are Raglan, Ross or Brecon – this does not support farmers trying to be carbon neutral or negative, neither does it support restaurants trying to buy ingredients with low green miles nor public attempting to do their part to reduce global warming by choosing to consume local produce.
“The benefits of having somewhere to chat to other farmers are huge. Farming can be a lonely business and day-to-day running of a busy farm can be stressful enough and therefore, a local market is crucial for the welfare of farmers, their livestock and the environment.”
