Irthlingborough market to be revived this weekend with stalls returning to the town centre

A regular market will return to Irthlingborough for the first time since the Second World War with the town mayor cutting the ribbon on the first event to see in the new era of stalls.

The gift and craft market will set up in Parsons Green off the high street and run from 9.30am to 1pm tomorrow (Saturday, September 4).

Reintroduced by Irthlingborough Town Council, the initiative has been launched to boost the independent businesses hit by the pandemic.

Cllr Caroline Cross said: "It is a local traders' market to boost small businesses and high street businesses as the country comes out of Covid restrictions.

"We are confident that it will be a success."

Stalls will be selling items including personalised engraved gifts, hand-painted ceramics, garden accessories, homeware and decor, candles and handmade cards.

Irthlingborough was never officially designated as a market town, having no charter. The market square was at the top of New Street, where a factory now stands on the site.

Until late-Victorian times market traders would set up their stalls around the Cross, where the weekly market was held on Friday evenings.

The outbreak of the Second World War brought market activities in the town to a halt and they were never resumed.