Retail Therapy on BBC Radio Manchester

This morning I was invited onto BBC Radio Manchester's Retail Therapy show to have a chat with Becky Want about baking and Clandestine Cake Club Bolton. The show was being broadcast from one of my favourite spots, Bolton Market.

It's a brilliant shopping destination which offers way more than your standard spuds and bangers. The market has been making quite a name for itself, and is fast becoming way more than fruit and veg. There are cookery demonstrations from top chefs, courses to help with cookery skills, a loyalty scheme and regular farmers' and international markets.

In the last few years the market has won a number of awards, including:

• Best Food Market, BBC Radio 4 Food Farming Awards 2011
• Best Indoor Market 2010 
• Tourism Retailer of the Year 2009

Bolton Market is steeped in history, with businesses being tended by the same families for generations. Whilst I was waiting for my slot on air, I had a little wander around to kill some time.

Because I wasn't doing my usual 'charge round at 100mph' routine, I had the chance to have a really good nose round the stalls, and had a lovely chat with a chap called Charles from John Hool Herbalist. He told me that his business is the oldest run by a single family in Bolton, and showed me a picture of his dad outside the shop in the old Market Hall. He also had some amazing vintage herb tins which had been in the family since before the first world war.

Retail Therapy is a consumer show that is broadcast from shopping destinations within the Greater Manchester area. I chatted to Becky about why I bake and what goes on at the Clandestine Cake Club. 

For the next seven days you can listen to the show on BBC iPlayer here: Retail Therapy with Becky Want 10th March 2012.

If you have any questions about joining the club, please email me at dollybakes@gmail.com.

Bolton Market

Twitter: @BoltonMarkets

Market Opening Times: Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday 9am-5pm