Northumberland signs markets real deal charter

Pictured at the launch of the Real Deal in Northumberland are councillors Alan Thompson and Anita Romer (holding framed charter) Keith Gray, David Hunt, Andy Rutherford (head of highways and neighbourhood services), Jimmy Power (business and consumer protection manager), Gerry Dutton and Pat Walsh.

Pictured at the launch of the Real Deal in Northumberland are councillors Alan Thompson and Anita Romer (holding framed charter) Keith Gray, David Hunt, Andy Rutherford (head of highways and neighbourhood services), Jimmy Power (business and consumer protection manager), Gerry Dutton and Pat Walsh.

Markets in Northumberland are the ‘real deal’ – and that’s official!

Northumberland County Council has signed up to the national ‘Real Deal’ campaign – demonstrating its commitment to ensuring safe, fair and legal markets across the county and protecting shoppers from fake goods.

Through signing up to the Real Deal charter, the council will benefit from working together with traders, industry groups, copyright and trademark owners and other local authorities to tackle the problems associated with counterfeit and pirated goods.

The council’s trading standards and neighbourhood services teams have been working together with regular market traders across the county to meet the requirements of the charter, which will be displayed at all of the markets it manages in Northumberland.

All traders have been provided with information about Real Deal and asked to sign up to a code of practice.

Speaking at the campaign sign-up at Ashington market today, Councillor Anita Romer, executive member responsible for trading standards at the county council, said: “Our trading standards officers work with market officers to keep a close eye on the goods that are being offered for sale at Northumberland markets.

“Through signing up to Real Deal we are aiming to maintain these markets as safe and fair trading environments where legitimate businesses can operate successfully and shoppers are able to purchase goods in the knowledge that they are genuine.”

Councillor Alan Thompson, executive member responsible for the operation of the markets, added: “We have adopted a strategy to help us develop and improve our markets, and signing up to this campaign is an excellent way of eliminating any opportunity for counterfeit or pirate goods to be sold.

“We want markets to enhance shopping areas and provide lively attractions for families and visitors. They can bring many social as well as economic benefits and that is why we have also re-branded them under the LOVE Northumberland banner – helping to promote local pride in our markets.”

Speaking about Northumberland’s sign up to the Real Deal campaign, national coordinator Patricia Lennon said: “The nature of the counterfeit business means that traders in illicit goods will often move from one market to another to avoid detection. By all the markets in an area agreeing to follow the same protocol, we can start to prevent this from happening. That is why we are delighted that Northumberland has signed all of its markets up to the campaign.”

Information about fake goods on sale in Northumberland should be reported to Consumer Direct on 08454 04 05 06.

For more information about markets in Northumberland visit www.northumberland.gov.uk/markets or phone 0845 600 6400.