IF you’ve ever wanted to sample traditional Romanian food, or purchase books by famous Romanian writers, then you’re in luck this weekend.  

On Saturday, Glasgow will host a Romanian market featuring a wide range of products from Romanian-owned businesses including food, jewellery, candles and books.  

Musician and Royal Conservatoire of Scotland deputy lecturer Roxana Nite decided to organise the event after the pandemic saw a rise in Romanian-owned businesses across Glasgow.  

She said: “Before the pandemic we really had no businesses, so the pandemic forced people to start developing and doing things so that’s why our community’s now a bit better represented in this way.  

“I have a lot of friends who own businesses and I could see them struggling because Romanians are usually working during the week, which means that a lot of businesses struggle during the week, and many Scottish people don’t really have the courage to try the products.  

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Glasgow Times:

“We thought it’s a good opportunity to let people try food and then maybe in the future they’ll decide that instead of one evening choosing the Indian restaurant or the Italian, they’ll say ‘oh, we’ll go to the Romanian restaurant’.  

“It’s more to try to support all these little businesses, especially now after the pandemic.” 

Businesses appearing at the market include PowerSoup, Joy Cake Shop, Constantin Jewellery and Sanctuary Luxury Candles.  

People will have the chance to enjoy a wide range of traditional food, including a soup called ciorba, cabbage rolls called sarmale, pickles, pates, and a wide range of “delicious” cakes.  

Roxana, who is originally from Piatra-Neamt and has lived in Scotland for 11 years, is hopeful that people will come and learn more about the community.

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She said: “I think people deserve to know the Romanian culture, the Romanian food, and to see that Romanians are actually curious people, hardworking people. 

“Sometimes people might have a wrong understanding about the community so this is to show that we’re all normal people and we have chosen Scotland as our country now so it’s very nice to be involved in the community.” 

While many of the businesses are Glasgow based there are also some coming from other towns and cities across Scotland, including Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Bathgate.  

The market will take place in Blythswood Hall at 260 Bath Street between 10am to 5pm on Saturday and is free to attend.