Business is booming at a market in County Armagh with people heading north for cross border shopping.
There was a time when busloads of shoppers from the Republic of Ireland regularly crossed the border to take advantage of the lower prices at Jonesborough market. In recent months, however, visitor numbers had begun to decline. A combination of factors, including similar butter prices, a severe winter, and violent unrest, had contributed to the slowdown. Over the past few weeks, business has started to rebound.
The biggest attraction is the cheap butter. Shoppers from the Republic can save themselves up to 18 pence a pound.
Butter is sold primarily by the box, each containing 28 pounds. Prices vary by brand, but top quality butter typically sells for about £9.30 per box. Under EU regulations, shoppers may bring goods worth up to £52 across the border, which translates into quite a lot of butter.
The market at Jonesborough offers far more than butter. Most products are cheaper than those sold across the border in the south. Over the past two years, the market has generated an income of £55,000 for the small border town.
With 220 stalls and no plans for expansion, the market remains a bustling enterprise. One of the organisers says that trade has been improving steadily since early February, and the expectation is for the upward trend to continue. While butter remains a major attraction, shoppers also come for items like children's shoes, sheets, and anoraks. In some cases, products manufactured in the Republic of Ireland can even be purchased at a lower price in Jonesborough.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 28 March 1976. The reporter is Conor McAnally.
