IF there is one product synonymous with Bury Market is the town’s famous black pudding and Chadwick’s Original Black Puddings is a Bury institution.

The recipe dates back to 1865 and the black puddings have been sold on the market since 1929. The Chadwicks stall itself was established in 1954 and is now run by Mary (a former Chadwick) and Tony Sinacola. Mary said they couldn’t wait to get back to some kind of normality at the market.

“It’s great the market is opening again,” said Mary. “Throughout the tier system we never knew if we were going to open or close or what we could sell. Everything was so uncertain.”

Before lockdown the family-owned stall could expect to see long queues forming with both tourists and locals eager for their black pudding fix and Mary hopes they will return soon enough.

“I think they will,” she said. “We’ve had a lot of messages asking when we are reopening and people promising to come.

“The big thing will be when the coach trips start up again - that’s something I’m really looking forward to.”

Banter and a sense of performance are both crucial to a market trader’s craft and Mary has missed the human interaction her customers bring.

“After the first lockdown we didn’t see many older people because they were all self-isolating,” she said. “Now they’ve had their jabs I think they’ll feel better about coming out again.”

The business even took a leap into the unknown last year by setting up a Facebook page and winning praise for offering children free black puddings following the Government’s decision not to provide free school meals to children learning remotely during lockdown.

“We’re making sure we are doing everything we can to follow the new guidelines,” added Mary. “You just have to concentrate more but it can be hard work because some people don’t realise they’re doing certain things but cleaning things and washing your hands is something we always did anyway.”

Chadwick’s is open 8am to 5pm on market days.