Wirral Youth markets support young local entrepreneurs
Thousands of people have supported scores of young local entrepreneurs across three hugely successful Youth Markets held during 2025.
The Markets have featured dozens of young traders who have been able to use the events to give their small businesses a kick start.
Youth Markets have previously been held in Liscard, New Brighton and this year visited West Kirby during the summer, with the latest back in Birkenhead having been there earlier in the year and an estimated 32,300 people have attended them in total.
The events - funded by the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, through the city region’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) allocation - have helped young entrepreneurs in launching and growing new businesses.
Leader of Wirral Council, Councillor Paula Basnett, said: “
The Youth Markets have been a huge success story, supporting our incredible local talented young people to get their own businesses going, fostering initiative and enterprise.
And local people have really got behind them, from the very first event in Liscard, and on to New Brighton, Birkenhead and West Kirby we have seen people coming along, showing their support for our young start-up businesses.
Cllr Mike Wharton, Liverpool City Region Combined Authority Cabinet Member for Business, Investment and Trade, said:
I’m proud that we’ve been able to support Wirral Council in organising these events which have provided such valuable opportunities to dozens of our talented young people. Whether or not they go on to build careers as entrepreneurs they will all have learnt so much from their experiences. And it’s a testament to people on the Wirral and their support for their young people that they have turned up to these events in their tens of thousands.
A number of previous stallholders have gone on to build successful ventures, as well as previous exhibitors such as Jelley Bakes and The Possible Kitchen being nominated for awards at the National Market Traders Federation.
2025 saw a Youth Market held in March at Birkenhead Market’s covered outside space after being rearranged when the original had to be postponed due to Storm Darragh in December 2024.
The event then moved across to West Kirby and took place during the August Bank Holiday weekend bringing a colourful shopping experience and more than 10,000 people enjoyed the chance to support the new generation of entrepreneurs, artists and performers.
The run up to Christmas saw the Youth Market back in Birkenhead Market’s outside covered space and an estimated 8,800 shoppers were given the chance to pick up gifts for the holidays and support local young entrepreneurs.
During the latest event in Birkenhead one visitor said: “What a joyous time I'm having here, I can't believe the amount of talent from these incredibly gifted young people.” She added that it was “so Christmasy and I'm having a wonderful time”.
Meanwhile traders were also having a good day and said how well it had, from those who were at their first Youth Market as traders to regulars who had been several times before, they praised the ease of taking part, the free tables which meant there was little risk to taking part. One said: "There's not anything to lose from it and it's good experience," while another added: "It's really busy here today, it's amazing, there's so many talented people. It brings the community together."
