wiganworld   (Feedback, help, your ideas for new content.)

Yes, absolutely - less overheads. People traditionally went to a market because it was cheaper that the shops. But now I can buy things cheaper in places like Primark and TK Max. Not that I want to. Buying fruit, veg, meat and fish should be an experience, and it once was - but now sadly not.
Indoor and outdoor markets can be a wonderful day out - Chesterfield, Leicester, Leeds, etc.
As for markets in fields. I once wandered off the tourist track in Jamaica and came across a local market in a field. We were packed liked sardines but it was something that brought back memories as a child. Being the only white man there, people would constantly shout "Hey Whitey, you come and buy something from my stall!" which was a bit daunting. Certainly no racism there - just that they didn't know my name. But as a travel photographer some guy came up to me and demanded money as he insisted that I had taken his photo (I hadn't). After a long debate he walked away and I perused the rest of the market (with camera in its case) and persistent pestering to buy goods, I then made my way back to the coast. However, give me that any day to the present Wigan town centre of 'pretend homeless' asking for money that will fuel their drug and alcohol preferences, sales people trying to convince you into changing your providers, countless charity pushers (I give regularly to my preferred charities) and an eerily empty market with only a handful of stalls that I'd give attention to (Ryding's newsagent top of the league)....