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The Mart is ready to make a return to King’s Lynn in time for Valentine's Day




It wouldn’t feel like Valentine's Day in Lynn without the Mart, which is set to return in a few weeks.

The team are planning their return and will begin setting up on the Tuesday Market Place on Sunday, February 11 at 6pm and will open as usual on Wednesday, February 14 at noon.

The funfair is known for filling the market place with family-favourite amusements such as teacups and dodgems as well as bigger rides including ‘High Energy’ and ‘Tagada’ which are back by popular demand.

Opening of the Mart on the Tuesday Market in 2023
Opening of the Mart on the Tuesday Market in 2023

Chief operator Lawrence Appleton, known to many as Nipper, is hoping the weather will be on his side after several storms have swept across the country.

Nipper said: “We are looking forward to opening the Mart and hoping mother nature will be kind.

“We’ve got everything in place, myself and our secretary have everything in place for Sunday.”

Nipper Appleton's family has been involved in the Mart for more than 200 years
Nipper Appleton's family has been involved in the Mart for more than 200 years

Mr Appleton explained that the popular children’s day will return on Monday, February 19, giving hundreds of children the opportunity to enjoy cheaper rides.

A day where special needs children can enjoy rides for free will be held on Friday, February 16.

He said: “Children’s day was very busy last year, with the cost of living crisis, that day is an important one for those children.

Opening of the Mart on the Tuesday Market Place last year
Opening of the Mart on the Tuesday Market Place last year

“Some of the other days were sluggish because of the state of people’s finances in the country.”

Nipper, who took on the role as chief operator last year, explained his family has been involved with the historic funfair for around 200 years.

“My family have been coming here for generations, Lynn is a special place to do the show,” Nipper said.

He added: “All of our showmen friends attend the mart here in Lynn.

“It was the first chartered fair in Great Britain, it is important that we maintain that tradition.

“It is of course a big tradition also here in Lynn, it has been coming to Lynn for 819 years.”

Opening of the Mart on the Tuesday Market Place last year
Opening of the Mart on the Tuesday Market Place last year

This year the Mart will be closing at 9pm, an hour earlier than normal, each night.

The final day of the Mart in Lynn is Saturday, February 24, before the fair moves onto Wisbech.



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