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Huddersfield Daily Examiner (Huddersfield, England), Dec 1, 2009

THE future of local markets comes under the spotlight this week.

Dewsbury plays host tomorrow to the National Food Markets Conference, featuring delegates from the worlds of food and markets.

And Kirklees councillors hope they will learn some vital lessons to improve markets in this region.

Delegates to the event will be welcomed by Dewsbury MP Shahid Malik and the Mayor of Kirklees, Clr Julie Stewart-Turner, and it will be chaired by Guardian food editor, writer and broadcaster Matthew Fort.

As part of the event, delegates will visit Dewsbury’s award-winning market.

One international visitor will be Oscar Ubide i Marcet, of Barcelona.

He is the manager of the Boqueria Market and also of the Market Food School.

The Boqueria is one the most important networks of fresh food markets in Europe and he will talk on how Barcelona has revived its markets and the use of markets as a vehicle for education and food promotion.

The future of food retailing in mainstream shopping centres will be discussed as will the key role of active town centre management in promoting markets.

Kirklees Council leader Clr Mehboob Khan said: “Dewsbury is the jewel in the Kirklees markets crown being a past holder of national Market of the Year and it is fitting that the conference is coming to the town.”