Have your say on future of Kettering's market

The future of Kettering's market will be up for discussion this weekend as councillors try to work out how to make it flourish again.

Kettering Town Council will take on the management of markets from North Northamptonshire Council on April 1, and admit that the offering they're inheriting is in 'a reduced state'.

Now they're set to host an event on Sunday (March 6), between 11am and 12.30pm at Corn Market Hall in London Road, to seek views about the future of the town's general market.

They want to hear from shoppers, local traders and prospective traders as they plan out how to revive it.

The flea market and general markets take place in the town centre every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

Councillors want to know whether people think the market should stay where it is, with stalls in Gold Street and High Street, or whether it should move back to the Market Place.

They also want to know how they can get more people to shop at the market, how they can attract more traders, whether they should focus on speciality markets instead and what the right charge for stallholders should be.

Cllr Craig Skinner (Con), Kettering Town Council's lead councillor for markets, said: “We want a thriving market but for various reasons the market we inherit is in a reduced state.

"We are keen to hear what people - traders and customers - have to say about how it can be revived.

"We welcome any views at this stage. We are also putting on a series of speciality markets through the year and hope to learn from these as well.

"Come along and have your say from 11am to 12.30pm on Sunday."