A showcase of talent on display at market

Bekki May organised the event to create an alternative shopping experience for the town with stalls selling paintings, hand made gifts, books and vintage memorabilia.

She said: “The ethos of the event is that it should be a place for creative people to try out ideas and get an audience for their work, and some recognition and validation. It’s not about the money, which is why the stalls are free.

“I realised that I knew a lot of people making really interesting things, but finding it hard to showcase their work locally as the costs and requirements are off-putting. This event gave them the opportunity to do that.”

About 100 people visited Luton Alternative Market and Bekki is pleased with how it went.

She said: “It went really well, we had nine stalls and we had great feedback and a lot of interest about the next event. The stalls were all selling different things. We had Darrel Inns, who is a young artist who is producing really dreamy, layered pieces.

“Helen Jones was selling vintage memorabilia and cards. Marna had a vintage goth stall, and Sandra, who was one of the original Luton punks in the 70s, was selling memorabilia and clothes. We had David Searl at Spidosaur who hand makes boots, corsets and belts, Sophie West, who illustrates and has a wide range of airy watercolour pieces. Kay Turner sold paper craft original art, Abby Finlayson was selling a selection of quality cakes and tarts, and my stall Lucy Luton which had hundreds of small original paintings done in Indian ink with dip pen, and books I wrote.”

The Alternative Market will return to George II Sunday, February 25.

Bekki added: “We are grateful to Nathaniel at the California Inn, and Eric Hsu at the George II for his long history of putting on little fringe events so people can try new ideas.

“There are so many creative people in the town and a lot of us have been living here for ages without even knowing the others exist, it is really exciting to see people contacting me.”