EVERY Sunday the county show site near Haverfordwest airport fills with the hustle and bustle of market traders and weekend shoppers.

The sounds of grain being tipped into heavy plastic bags, the smell of cooking bacon and fresh vegetables, and the sounds market chatter.

But traders here at Withybush Market have expressed concern about a recent fall in customer numbers.

So what’s it like to be one of the traders who work here every week?

“It is a community,” said Martin Wood, who has run a pitch selling tools and household items, and cutting keys for 15 years. “We all get on together.”

For Martin’s stallholding neighbours Matthew and Sian McDowall, the market was the place where their marriage started.

Martin said he and other traders sometimes worry about falling customer numbers, though familiar faces of regular customers buoy them along.

“I have my regulars who come in every week,” he said, adding that a steady stream of visitors come to see his Labrador, Marco.

Nigel Eynon, of Maenclochog, is one of the market’s stalwart traders, having run his pet food stall at the entrance of the building for the last 32 years.

“There has been a lot of water under the bridge since I started!” he joked.

Nigel thinks supermarkets’ Sunday opening hours have been a large contributor to falling customer numbers, and fondly remembers when more than 60 stalls packed the rafters of the market’s building and spilled outdoors.

“When I started you had a choice of two places, either here or Carew market for your Sunday shopping,” he said.

But as for bringing back customers, he is unsure. “I really don’t know what the answer is. Is there an answer?”

Thelma Felice, or Nanny T, has run stall selling homemade pastries, jams and chutneys for four years.

“I love it here,” she added. “It is hard work, don’t get me wrong, but I get so much out of what I do.”

Thelma thinks that moving the showground’s Saturday car boot sale to a Sunday could encourage more visitors to the market.

“We are trying desperately for the committee to have a car boot on Sunday,” she said, and also suggests a craft-fair once a month could help boost visitors.

Roger Lamb, of Castlemorris, took over a gadget and furnishing stall after Christmas, but has helped his partner Bella Reynolds run her wool stall for eight years.

He thinks the only thing the traders can do is remain positive, and keep at it.

“There is no more we can do apart from keep trying. That’s all we can do to get the crowds in.”

The Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society, which runs the market, is optimistic for its future, having just dedicated a full-time member of staff to look after weekend trade.

“We are now having regular meetings with the traders,” said a spokeperson for the society. “There is also now a Facebook page which is going to be our principle means of promoting the market.”

The PAS have also invited stallholders to trade at this year’s Pembrokeshire County Show, and are promoting the market to members of the public who visit the showground for other events which take place there.

“We appreciate that the traders are here all year and we want to treat them as a good tenant and give them the opportunity to promote their goods and services.

“We have had a number of new people who are interested in stallholding and we hope will be starting this Sunday coming,” said the spokesperson.

“We have put a lot of work and effort into it and we want to see it successful.”

The PAS spokesperson also said the society will keep discussing plans for themed events, craft fairs, and other ideas to boost trade when they meet next with the stallholders.