Shoppers' favourite stall at new Chester Market as voted by you

With Chester’s new market now firmly established as a popular place to go for shopping or a bite to eat, we asked you to choose your favourite stall.

The new Chester market is hugely popular, with the market hall at the heart of the Northgate development often bustling with shoppers or those enjoying a drink or a bite to eat. We asked our readers to vote for their favourite stall – a difficult task, we know.

And the results are in, with a clear winner amongst the many stalls serving up a range of goodies, from street food to spectacles. We can reveal that the winner, with the largest number of votes, is the popular Digby and Champ stall.

A staggering 300,000 people visited the new market in the first month alone and when Cheshire Live popped down recently, traders told us how well they had settled in. Digby and Champ came top overall, with the top food stall in our poll being Thai by Thai, who serve up delicious Thai food alongside many other enticing and popular street food stalls.

The Digby and Champ stall, run by Will Mason, 31, has attracted a large number of customers since it opened up in the market. A delighted Will told CheshireLive he was really happy to hear his dogged determination in setting up the business had led it to come top in the poll.

Digby and Champ, who are the beloved pets of Will Mason, owner of the Digby and Champ stall at Chester’s new market

He said he wanted to thank all of his customers who have enjoyed shopping for products for their beloved pooches since he opened up in the new market. In fact, he’s been so overwhelmed with the response that he is now planning to open another shop, with details to be revealed at a later date.

Will – who was retail buyer for Chester Zoo, before starting the business – absolutely loves dogs, having two of his own. He has named the business after his Labradors Digby, who is a black lab, and Champ, who is fox red.

Will said: “I studied business at the University of Chester and had always wanted to do my own thing. I worked as retail buyer at Chester Zoo and they were really supportive.

Digby and Champ at Chester’s new market

“I started off selling online and going along to makers’ markets. I then set up in the old market and applied to move to the new market and it’s been great to be here.

“It’s been such a success that we are now looking for the next shop. I’ve always loved dogs and it’s been great to be based here in the market. We have gone from strength to strength. I didn’t expect it to do as well as it has.

“I tried to create a place where if you’ve had a glass of wine in the market then it’s lovely to look at in terms of the aesthetics. I’ve also factored in sustainability, with most of our toys made out of recyled material.”

Thanking all those who have supported him, Will told CheshireLive: “I just want to say a big thank you to the new Chester market and to everyone who has supported us. We really appreciate it.

“I think dogs are so popular as they are ‘man’s best friend’.. They are almost like your children. More and more research has suggested that having a dog can help people to relax.

“For me, having dogs gets me out walking. It’s healthier for me to get out and connect with nature.”

Will has even set up a ‘paws of fame’ at his stall, with Polaroid pictures of some of his four-legged friends who like to shop there.

NEWSLETTER: Sign up for CheshireLive email direct to your inbox here