Mum marks milestone at flea market

Eleanor Pugh celebrates 40 yrs on Tommyfield Market in her Birthday Week Pic with Markets and Events Manager Sharon Hibbert

A POPULAR great-grandma celebrated 40 years of market trading in Oldham this week.

Eleanor Pugh (78), from Lees, is one of the longest-serving stallholders on Tommyfield Market, selling "pre-loved" clothing for women.

The married mum of three will enjoy a double celebration when she turns 79 on Sunday and is marking the occasion with a trip to Blackpool.

Mrs Pugh set up her stall in 1976 when her daughter was aged seven and has traded on the Wednesday flea market once a week ever since.

The former singer said: "Before then I had never worked and I had three children under five.

"My mum and dad were in the circus and I married my husband when I was 20.

"I had been touring around Manchester with a theatre company.

"When the flea market started I just thought I would give it a go and came home with all the clothes I had.

"The stalls have changed so much over the years. We used to have to wipe all the snow off our stalls because they didn't have covers.

"The drains used to leak and you'd have water pouring out down the side."

Pleasure

Enjoying the comforts of her now waterproof stall, Mrs Pugh said she gets most pleasure out of the people and company.

She said: "I love meeting people and I like the fresh air. I have made a lot of friends over the years and have enjoyed my time here.

"I've got customers coming to me whose children and grandchildren visited me. I will keep going as long as I can."

The stalwart stallholder sells second-hand clothing, such as dresses and cardigans, as well as bags and other accessories which are often donated or chosen by her friends and family members.

She said: "My children are all really fashionable so they help me choose the clothing.

"The stand-out item I've sold was a pair of G-star jeans for my eldest son."

Markets manager Sharon Hibbert, of Oldham Council, delivered a congratulatory announcement over the market's public address system and presented Mrs Pugh with a large bouquet of flowers to mark the special occasion on Wednesday.

Ms Hibbert told the Evening Chronicle: "Eleanor is one of our longest-serving traders.

"She has been a loyal market holder and a very popular trader.

"She is coming on 79 and looking fantastic for her age."