'A breath of fresh air' - Visiting the new market in Scotland's biggest city

Now, a brownfield section at Kelvingrove Park has been transformed into a bustling farmers market and community space.

The Rail Yard, Glasgow’s newest market in town, runs every Saturday.

It has three permanent food huts open week-round, including Lupo, a pizza business using Scottish ingredients, a direct-deal Vietnamese coffee stall Upland Roast and a veggie-focused kitchen called The Garden Shed.

The weekly Saturday market is when the fresh, local and top quality Scottish farm produce comes in for sale.

From organic meats to catch of the day, baked goods to vegetables from ten miles up the road, the market brings Scotland’s larder, and fresh, to the city’s doorstep.

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Community is also at the heart of this new-kid-on-the-block market space, with a stall for community groups to use and free, weekly entertainment for families.

“It feels like a village now,” said Marion Robertson, a Glasgow local and member of the Woodlands and Parks Community Council, which covers The Rail Yard site.

“The approach was very ‘let’s work with the community’ from the start, so it only compliments what’s already here.”

The site was previously a thoroughfare by the river Kelvin used by dog walkers and had some graffiti on the walls.

Mrs Robertson said: “The anti-social nature of that area, which felt a bit dank, has changed because it’s brought such life, colour and imagination to the place.

“It’s such a breath of fresh air.”

Mrs Robertson’s husband, Stuart, said the market, which can hold up to 40 traders, has forged connections between the community and producers.

“They say if you phone them up and say you want something, they’ll bring it the following week,” he said.

“There’s a fishmonger who attends - Wilson’s Catch of the Day. We haven’t had a fishmonger in this area in years.”

The couple said the market gives people the chance to access fresh, local produce more readily.

Mrs Robertson added: “There is a perception that urban markets are elitist and expensive, but The Rail Yard, because it offers so much more, extensively breaks down that image.”

Meet some of the producers

For the farmers and producers themselves, the new space brings better connection between farm and fork.

“We can tell our story to our customers,” said Claire Hosie, of Kinkell Farm.

“People don’t realise we’re just ten miles from the centre of Glasgow growing vegetables.”

Mrs Hosie and her husband, David, grow seasonal veg chemical-free and use vertical farming for microgreens.

The farmer said their ethos is about connecting people with where their food comes from.

“Know your farmer and know your food,” Mrs Hosie said.

“With the market, we are able to have those conversations and bring fresh food, harvested the day before, into family homes.

“Some people are really interested in it and tell you how amazing your produce is which really gives you a lift. Farming is not an easy gig, so it keeps you going when you get that feedback.”

Colin Russell runs Ramstane Farm with his wife, Jill, a 25-minute drive from Glasgow in North Ayrshire.

The couple own the 16-acre regenerative farm with pasture-raised chickens for meat and eggs.

“The Rail Yard is our first farmers market,” said Mr Russell, whose approach to farming is about quality, animal welfare and soil health.

“It’s a great environment for those face-to-face conversations and for marketing what we do.”

While costs tend to be higher for small producers, Mr Russell said they try to keep their egg prices comparable with supermarkets so the food is accessible.

“It is very encouraging to see people supporting small farms and returning each week,” he said.

Pretty much everything from the chicken is sold, even the feet, which are sold as dog treats at the market.

“Those are particularly popular,” Mr Russell added.

Peelham Farm, in the Scottish Borders, which has stalls at various farmers markets, including in Edinburgh, has become a mainstay at The Rail Yard.

Owners Chris and Denise Walton and their son, Angus, produce beef, pork and mutton, all butchered at the farm.

Their produce includes salami and charcuterie, organic cuts and free-range pork and herb-filled additive-free sausages.

“We’re finding the sales good as things settle in and there’s more footfall,” Mr Walton said.

“The venue is fantastic. It’s a green area in the middle of the city, great proximity to bars and restaurants and other shopping facilities.”

The farmer said across the various stalls for Peelham Farm, he’s noticed direct sales are growing.

“People want to forgo the supermarkets,” he said.

“They are getting fed up with being duped by all sorts of incorrect sales material. They want to know exactly what they are buying and we can talk that story at the market.”

The Waltons carried out surveys with their customers and, anecdotally, they’ve found conversation is the number one reason why people attend markets.

“People come here because they want the conversation, the community feel.”

Stuart Collins, founder of The Rail Yard, said for him, the aim of the market is to facilitate better access to fresh, quality Scottish produce.

“By getting more farmers, bringing in more people and creating demands, it shows there’s a market, creates the conversation and builds momentum.

“If there’s enough pressure, there will be a point where if a Scottish market demands a certain amount of, say, seafood, businesses might send a lorry to Glasgow rather than sending everything abroad. It might be a little pie in the sky but the only way to change it is to get momentum going.”

And footfall is growing.

“There’s more people coming down each week buying produce of that higher quality because it’s there,” he said.

“People go because it’s something to do on a day out. And while they’re there, they go ‘oh look at that forest-bred rare pork let’s get some of that bacon for tomorrow’s breakfast’. And that’s how you get ‘em!”

Market director Bronwen Nixon said: “It’s been amazing to see The Rail Yard growing into a space where Scotland’s producers and growers can share their food and their stories.

“We’ve built strong relationships with farmers who care deeply about the food they produce, and it’s their commitment to quality and sustainability that sits at the heart of why we wanted to build a new market for the city.”