Before 2020 hit, life was very different for us. Steve worked shifts which meant he used to have days off during the week. When the kids were at school, we would love heading to Newcastle for the day and were regulars at the Grainger Market.
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| A Typical Grainger Market Delivery Order |
We have picked up so many bargains over the years. I swear I once bought 20 lamb chops for a fiver! I love the buzz of the market and how eclectic it is. You get a real mix of customers from pensioners who have probably done their shopping here their whole lives to city students picking up some fruit, business-types shopping for artisan ingredients for dinner and city-workers popping in for lunch.
All of the photos in the post have been taken by myself and feature orders we have paid for and enjoyed (with the exception of the Halloween Afternoon Tea photo which is credited to Granger Delivery).
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| Calzone Pizza Slices to re-heat at home from Grainger Market Delivery |
I used to visit a lot with the kids too. We loved a Grainger Market picnic with Pizza by Slice, the Dumpling Bar, the Spanish deli, Redheads Mac n Cheese and Pet Lamb all being our favourites.
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| Fruit box from Grainger Delivery |
But then COVID hit, Steve changed roles at work which meant he was no longer off during the week and as public transport is currently advised against unless essential, our trips into Newcastle have not been as frequent as I would have liked and I really miss the Grainger Market. Newcastle is lucky to have a thriving community hub like this and I hope this post goes a little way to support them.
Grainger Delivery
Grainger Delivery was set up at the very start of lockdown. The idea is, customers can order products online from a range of Grainger Market retailers and it is all delivered to your home (usually the next day). At peak lockdown when supermarket delivery slots were non-existent and many of us wanted to avoid the supermarkets, Grainger Delivery were a lifeline for us and I ordered from them regularly.
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| Redheads Mac n Cheese from Grainger Delivery |
I hope we remember it was these small, local businesses that were there for us when we needed them.
I will say, our deliveries have not been without issue, especially at the start. There were often items missing and once we received someone else's order BUT the key thing is, the problems were rectified straight away. I always say that everyone has problems, it is how you deal with them that counts and I have always been more than satisfied with how Grainger Delivery have dealt with any missing items / issues.
I believe they set up a proper hub a few months ago and things are running a lot more smoothly now. Starting up a new business like this must be a logistical nightmare and I bet it has been super stressful co-ordinating it all.
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| Dumplings and Buns from Grainger Market Delivery |
The Grainger Market is still open for business too - if you are in Newcastle, why not pop in, see what's on offer and support a local business?
Grainger Market Delivery really is at the heart of Newcastle. Recently, they have been helping students who are self-isolating in the city with food package.
What Can I Order?
Not every trader is part of the Grainger Market Delivery scheme but new traders are joining all of the time. I would love to get to a stage where the whole market takes part. There is still a HUGE selection of retailers on there. Here are a few highlights (correct as of October 2020):
- The French Oven
- Fruit & Nut Company
- Tian's Gifts
- Fruit & Veg from Bryan Muers & Sons
- Hector Hall Fruit & Veg
- Chirton Fisheries
- Finlay's Quality Butchers
- Grainger Delicatessen
- Hutton & Oliver Greengrocers
- Let It Be Music Merch
- Lindsay Bros Seafood
- Matthew's Cheese
- Nil Living
- Northern Delicious
- Oliver & Eden Butchers
- Pizza Slice
- Pumphreys Coffee
- Richard Campbell Butchers
- Dumplings and Buns
The produce that's on offer changes regular but there are usually some staples. Our favourite things to order have been meat hampers, fruit boxes, cakes and pastries from the French Oven, grated cheese from Matthew's Cheese (it is SO much better than shop-bought) and Redheads Mac and Cheese for our freezer.
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| A selection of cheeses from Matthew's Cheese via Grainger Market Delivery |
There are three main sections of the website - groceries, heat & eat and gifts. I love how there is so much variety. It is easy to miss the Heat & Eat but I would recommend adding yourself a little treat from this section for you to enjoy on delivery day. We have enjoyed Pizza Slice, Dumplings and Mac n Cheese from this section. All lush!
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| A selection of cakes and bread from The French Oven via Grainger Market Delivery |
You can buy everything from milk, local coffee, bread, eggs and pasta to ready meals and thoughtful gifts. There is even afternoon tea. They have seasonal products too, for instance you can buy Venison from the butchers at the moment and over Easter you could buy Hot Cross Buns.
Fiver Fest & Special Offers
The Grainger Market joins in with #FiverFest every year. This year, the initiative runs from 10-24 October. Lots of retailers put on special deals for a fiver and the idea is you spend five pound supporting a local business. Lush!
This year, some of these deals are available online too and there are some real bargains to be had. You can check out current deals and offers here.
At time of writing, you can pick up the following fiver fest deals for just £5, these won't be around forever:
- 4 Cheese Truckles from Matthew's Cheese
- £5 deals from Oliver and Eden Butchers
- Grainger Market Saveloy Dip Kit
- French Oven Afternoon Tea for One (£5 is a ridiculously good price for this)
- English Breakfast Deal
Halloween
One reason I love Grainger Delivery is that they are constantly adapting. They have a whole section of their website dedicated to Halloween (check it out here) which includes themed cupcakes and afternoon tea, apples for bobbing, pumpkins and even a Halloween-themed cheese. I am planning an order over half term and will definitely be adding a few of these treats.
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| Kids Halloween Afternoon Tea from the French Oven |
Delivery & Quality
Another bonus is if you order before 9pm, in many cases, your produce will be delivered the next day. There are some exceptions to this and some areas have a specific delivery day. I would recommend popping Grainger Delivery a message on Facebook / an email if you are unsure. Next day delivery is currently £4 for us (in Cramlington) and the minimum spend is £20. You can find out more about delivery here.
If you live outside of the delivery area or you are visiting Newcastle, you can also pre-order online and collect from the Grainger Market hub.
For us, the quality has always been second to none. Sometimes the cakes may be a little squashed but this is a small price to pay for supporting a local business. Our fruit has always lasted really well and we have either used meat we have ordered within a day or two or popped it in our freezer.
Follow Grainger Market Delivery on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Social Media is usually the first place they announce new products and special offers.
Read next:
- Where to Shop Online with North East Businesses this Christmas
- North East Food Box and Delivery Services : Reviews & Recommendations
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So glad you wrote this, a welcome reminder that we still haven't used the service yet which is SHOCKING! I need to order from French Oven goodies! We've redeemed ourselves a little by ordering from Pet Lamb this week, our brownies should be with us tomorrow!
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