Liverpool's most unique market where you can buy everything from dolls' houses to vegetable curry

The first Saturday of every month sees the Granby Four Streets in Toxteth closed off to traffic as a regular market takes over the terraced streets.

Volunteers start early in the morning setting up tables and and gazebos before the traders arrive to lay out their stalls and soon Granby Street is buzzing with customers.

There is also usually live music or a DJ, which adds to the relaxed, friendly atmosphere and makes the market such a great family afternoon out.

Many of the stall-holders are local residents, selling either bric-a-brac they have collected together or wares they have crafted themselves and there have even been new businesses springing out from the market.

Granby Fours Streets Market has been a centrepiece of Granby's revival over the past few years.

Starting with humble origins and just a couple of tables on Cairns Street, the market has grown considerably and is now held on Granby Street itself.

On a scorching Saturday in early August, the ECHO went to the market to find out more about some of the makers who trade under its colourful gazebos.

Rosa Smith

Rosa, 68, makes jewellery and bags using a combination of crocheted wool and ring pulls from her home in Granby.

Rosa said: 'I've been making stuff since the kids were young.  I brought up six kids on my own and my kids are black and I used to make them black rag dolls as you couldn't buy any.

"A few of us started the market with just a couple of tables outside and it has just grown from there.

"I make bags and jewellery using crochet and old ring pulls and each bag takes about a week to make.

"I haven't had any training, I just taught myself. My kids say it keeps me out of mischief."

Rosa is also part of the Bloomin' Green Triangle, a group of local residents who were instrumental in the drive for community regeneration of the Granby Four Streets area through planting flowers and painting houses amidst the dereliction.

"We started it all because of the empty houses, the community was broken and we wanted to bring it back to life.

"We were painting curtains onto windows and letter boxes onto the doors to confuse the postie.

"It feels good to see how things are growing now on Granby Street."

Brian Douglas

Brian, 71, carves one-off wooden items by hand, including bird stands, coffee tables and chopping boards, which he sells from his regular stall at the market.

"I was a joiner when I was younger but when I was 38 I went to Liverpool Polytechnic and then on to do a maths degree and I worked as a maths teacher then."

Since Brian retired however he has returned to his first love.

"I've always done a bit of woodwork, and for the last 50 years I've built up a great set of tools. I love doing it."

"People love what I'm doing and lots of people stop to look, but only 1 in 500 are prepared to buy.

Wood isn't very popular, people like bling these days but I make it pay."

John Hesp

John, 72 is also known as the "Scroll Man" and has a regular slot next to Brian most months.

The two have a friendly rivalry as they sell their wooden creations side by side, and like Brian, John really enjoys taking part in the market.

John makes carved signs and slogan pieces from wood using a scroll saw.

"This is my second year. To me this is a day out and it's the best market there is.

"I'm retired and I'm really just doing it as a hobby. I say it's so I can annoy my wife!

It's just great here."

Maila Umda

Maila, 53, sells products focused on the child's imagination, including fantastical dolls houses made from papier mache and a potato starch glue that Maila makes herself, which gives her creations a water-resistant protective layer. 

Maila also makes rag dolls and runs her stall with her daughter, Ingrid, 11, whose paintings are on sale.

Maila said: "I'm a self employed artist. I have been in the UK for five years from Estonia and this is what I do day-to-day.

"Papier mache dolls houses are my biggest love. I also make jackets and I had lots of leftover scraps of materials so from them I made rag dolls.

"It's the best market in the world. There is always a nice atmosphere and happy people.

"When I started to do dolls houses I thought about children and how they have this huge imagination, so I wanted to make something different than a plain house.

"I first made one for my daughter when she was three. I think it's great for a child's imagination to play with something unusual.

"I first heard about the market because I was studying at Granby Adult Learning Centre and a lady came into the school to talk about the market and I was invited to come.

"My daughter also makes paintings and some of them we paint together."

Nahid Yasmin

Nahid, 40, has just begun at the market this month selling freshly-cooked food. In between a constant stream of happy customers, we steal a moment to have a quick chat with Nahid.

Nahid said: "I've just started with the stall here, it's lovely and really going great so far, we're really busy.

"Our most popular foods are definitely the samosas and the vegetable curry."

Nahid also sells meat curries and rice pudding at the stall.

Ruth Joseph

Ruth said: "I consider this market as the birthplace of my business, The Healthy Gut Company.

"I have lived here 13 years and started off at the market selling second-hand bits and bobs, I did some arts and then I started with the juices.

"I bought three different cultures and initially focused on water kefir. Then I made one small bottle of kombucha.

"A guy came over to me in the market and said 'oh, I used to have that as a kid, can I try it?'

"I discovered it's a very versatile juice that's suitable for everyone.

"I've been brewing for two years now and have recently got a new premises in Parliament Business Park.

"We now have 18 stockists in Liverpool including five places in town, which use the smaller sizes as they fit well in their fridges. 

"The kombucha business supports other activities around health improvement and raising awareness of the benefits of fermented foods."

Val Yong

Val, 59, runs a stall on the market selling plants and herbs.

"I grow the plants from seed at home.

"I really want to encourage people to grow their own food. I say it is not just about herbs for one meal, this plant will continue to grow and you have herbs long-term then.

"There's nothing better than starting with a small seed and getting something to grow."

Do you have a story about L8? Let us know in the comments section or email Lisa Rand at lisa.rand@reachplc.com