Carmarthen Mart to reopen on 2 March

Carmarthenshire Council have announced that Carmarthen Mart is to re-open following a significant refurbishment.

Leaseholders Nock Deighton Agricultural LLP will open the mart doors on Wednesday, March 2, with their first sale of calves and weanlings and dairy cattle since it was closed in July 2020.

This will be followed by a sale on Friday, March 4, of barren cattle, store cattle and sheep of all classes.

The sales will be repeated weekly and will be supplemented by sales of suckled calves and breeding bulls on the first Monday of every month, and an Orange TB restricted sale on the second Monday of every month.

Additional staff have already been employed with more jobs planned as the business develops and grows.

Carmarthenshire County Council secured the future of Carmarthen Mart last year by bringing a new operator on-board and investing in the facilities.

Cllr David Jenkins, Cabinet Member for Resources, said: “The Carmarthen Mart is an important element of Carmarthenshire’s rural economy and I’m sure the people of Carmarthenshire will be thrilled to see it brought back into use. We are excited to see the doors re-opening and the mart restored to its glory days.”

Nock Deighton has full control of the Nantyci site including the rental units and the Rural Business Development Centre.

Interest has already been expressed from a diverse range of local businesses with a rural focus aiming to take advantage of the significant footfall at the site.

The 190-year-old Nock Deighton company runs the large Bridgenorth Livestock and Auction Centre in Shropshire, and took over the Newcastle Emlyn livestock market in 2018 resulting in a 60 per cent increase in throughput and turning a declining market into a thriving one.

Mark Burgoyne, Partner of Nock Deighton Agricultural LLP, said: “Carmarthen Mart has been in the doldrums for a few years and it is our intention to breathe new life back into the place. We need to revitalise the mart into a vibrant centre both socially and from a business perspective. It is a fantastic opportunity for everyone concerned and personally I am really looking forward to the challenge.”

The mart at Nantyci has two auction rings with associated livestock pens for cattle, sheep and pigs together with modern purpose-built facilities including a reception and mart office, café area and bar.

The council’s Cabinet Member for the Rural Affairs, Cllr Ann Davies, added: “Agriculture plays a crucial role in rural development by supporting employment, ancillary businesses, and environmental services. Farming is the backbone of rural life and I’m delighted that we have been able to support this and secure the future of Carmarthen Mart.”

(Lead image: Carmarthenshire Council)