STALLHOLDERS and customers looked back over 60 years as they celebrated the anniversary of Abingdon’s Country Market.

The market – which sells home-grown and home-made produce in the Guildhall, Abbey Close – has run for six decades in various locations around the town.

On Friday, customers had a piece of cake and a cup of tea to celebrate the landmark occasion.

Organisers admit that customers to the Friday stalls have dwindled, but point out that it is still going strong and, on average, welcomes about 70 visitors each week.

Kathleen Suckling, one of the Country Market group, said: “We once had queues of people. We still have a small queue, but we used to have 20 to 30 customers waiting to get in.”

Mrs Suckling, of Kennington, has been part of the group for 19 years.

She said: “More people are at work nowadays on market day. We do get bigger numbers in the summer as people visit from the boats and the caravans.

“People don’t come to Abingdon any more – you go into the precinct and it’s empty.”

The event started as a Women’s Institute venture, but today is run by the separate organisation called the Abingdon Country Market.

There are more than a dozen stalls, selling produce such as fresh eggs, cakes, preserves, greetings cards, baby clothes, flowers and needlecraft.

Betty Saunders, 84, of Radley, has sold eggs in the market since 1974.

She said: “When I first came, it was in the church hall. People then probably came more often, as we had fewer supermarkets.”

Malvin Drakley, 68, of Abingdon, has worked on the market for the past seven years.

He said: “We really would like more people to come. In the seven years I have been here, people coming into Abingdon don’t know we have been here for 60 years.

“It’s sad, really, as we’d like to sell out each week. Currently, we don’t.”

He added: “The market itself has not changed a lot in the time I’ve been here. It’s lovely meeting people and the company is good.