PCF joins HRH The Prince of Wales at new Darlington Farmers Auction Mart

Our Patron, HRH The Prince of Wales met with directors, shareholders, customers and staff alongside some of the businesses based at the mart, and enjoyed tea and cake in their award winning café.

Prince Charles then embarked on a tour of the mart before unveiling a plaque to commemorate the event. Speaking to a number of farmers and mart users, HRH said: “It gives me great joy to meet some of the farmers who’re working on very special farms in this part of the countryside. Family farms are unbelievably special, and the role you play in rural communities is to me absolutely critical, in terms of how you maintain the countryside in the long term. The country is very lucky to have you looking after it.”

The auction mart is now housed in a purpose built venue just outside of Darlington, and trading started there in September 2020 – the first time since the 11th century that no livestock sale had been held in Darlington town centre.
The PCF released a report looking at the social value of auction marts, supported by the Livestock Auctioneers Association, in 2021.