We went to Doncaster Wool Market and enjoyed good grub, games and a great time

Back in 2019, the building was revived with a brand new lease of life with traditional market stalls swept away in favour of a wide range of food and drink outlets, offering street food from a number of global locations.

While the £7 million refurbishment was welcomed by many, there were also plenty of grumbles about what some say (and still see) as the dismantling of the jewel in the city’s crown.

Myself and my partner Giulia are diehard market fans.

We love nothing more than strolling around the meat, cheese and fresh fruit and vegetable stalls on a Saturday, stocking up with bags full of fantastic produce to create some truly delicious meals, while supporting our superb markets at the same time.

And invariably, we’ll end up in the Wool Market for a bite to eat and a chance to put our feet up and watch the world go by for a bit.

The constantly changing food offerings from different vendors mean that there’s more often than not something new to tuck into.

And so it was when we popped in for a recent visit – enjoying good grub, games and a great time.

For as well as food and drink, there’s also a fantastic gaming zone to enjoy too.

The attraction is aimed at visitors of all ages and offers up duckpin bowling, shuffleboard and interactive darts, as well as other classics such as air hockey and table football.

And there’s a retro arcade gaming section too.

The duckpin bowling alley, the first of its kind in Doncaster, is similar to traditional ten pin bowling – but with much shorter lanes, pins on ropes rather than freestanding and with smaller balls without finger holes.

Players can simply walk-in and pay to play or book games in advance.

There are also three interactive darts games, where players can try their hand at a traditional game of arrows, or a range of new, family friendly fun games for participants of all skill levels.

The electronic boards are set in a cosy, wood-panelled environment, aimed at replicating a traditional Britiish pub, with colourful carpets and pub stools and tables.

And if that wasn’t enough, visitors can also try their hand at shuffleboard, a game that’s sure to bring out the competitive streak in many!

The game sees opponents sliding discs along a smooth, flat surface with the aim of scoring points – but the game is far trickier than it looks!

Think Winter Olympics favourite curling played indoors on a table and you’re getting somewhere close.

It means you can make an afternnon or night of it, eating and drinking their way around the market’s various dining outlets.

Which brings us to the food.

Giulia opted for a visit to Greek Gods’ Cuisine – tucking into a hearty falafel meal – a hearty dish featuring fried falafel served on a Greek pitta, with salad, chips, hummus and a ‘Greek god’ vegan sauce.

The firm also has an outlet at Sheffield's Cutlery Works and also serves up wraps, moussaka, ginormous meat platters, kataifi, vegan options and much much more.

For me, it was a trip to Nigerian food stall Naija Grub for a warming plate of jollof rice, topped with huge chunks of beef and served up with pieces of plantain.

If you’re not in the know jollof rice is typically made with long-grain rice, tomatoes, chilies, onions, spices, and sometimes other vegetables. In other words, just the job on an autumnal afternoon.

It also offers a wide range of West African cuisine with dishes such as puff puff, fufu and egusi soup

The main stage area where we dined is equipped with comfy chairs, couches, and tables - plus some greenery to brighten up customers’ days – and on evenings, there’s live music and entertainment to enjoy.

Of course, with great grub, you also need a great glass of something to wash it down with, so I headed to the Don Valley Tap which always has a great range of brews on offer.

And there was only going to be one winner when I spotted the Caribbean-themed Trench Town Rock, a surprisingly powerful IPA, weighing in at 5.9* ABV.

According to the Don Valley Brewery, the beer, named after the birthplace of reggae music “reflects the vibe of a Caribbean day, a full-flavoured IPA packed with Eureka, Chinook and Liberty Hops with orange, mango and passionfruit for a fruity juicy punch.”

And while looking out across Doncaster’s Market Place on a breezy October day doesn’t quite back up the sun-soaked Bob Marley vibes, it was a superb pint – just the job to sit and watch the world go by.

Craft ale, street food, quirky stalls, the new look Wool Market is far removed from noisy traders chucking apples in a bag, but is being marketed (excuse the pun) as a valuable and different commodity for the town to enjoy and revitalising the economy.

Typically, in a town where people are ready to complain about closed shops, drug and drink problems and anti-social behaviour, many have poured scorn on the Wool Market since its arrival.

"Waste of money," "nothing there," "won't last," and "expensive and posh" were just some of the accusations levelled at the town's new jewel in the crown when it first opened.

We want and demand new things and changes and when we get them, people still complain and moan.

OK, it might not be to all tastes and traditionalists wanting second hand stalls or bric a brac might well be disappointed.

But times change and we have to accept that markets, not just in Doncaster, but nationwide, don't draw in people like they used to.

Supermarkets make it easy for us to get our fruit, veg and meat and fish and if that particular area of trade is dying, then City of Doncaster Council is doing the right thing to find new revenue streams and also to give a rundown part of town a much needed shot in the arm and a new lease of life.

The Wool Market has become one of our favourite spots in Doncaster – we love the hustle and bustle, the noise and the colour – and of course, the vast array of food and drink on offer.

It’s a superb addition to Doncaster and long may it thrive.