Town council takes on running of town market (From This is The West Country)

Town council takes on running of town market

8:00pm Sunday 7th October 2012 in News

THE management of the Sat-urday market in Chard town centre has changed hands.

Chard Town Council has taken over the running of the market, which operates each Saturday in Fore Street.

For many years the market has been run by South Somerset Dis-trict Council, but both councils have been in discussions in rec-ent months to look at different ways of managing it in future.

The district’s Area West committee agreed last month to grant a licence to the town council allowing it to operate the market.

Once the town council has had time to assess the new management arrangements it will look at ways to expand the market’s app-eal to shoppers, such as holding themed markets in the Guild-hall.

Town council operations manager Terry Powell said: “By taking over the operation of the Sat-urday market directly, and using the Guildhall as an indoor marketplace, the town council aims to enhance and promote existing shopping facilities in the town.

“Additionally, this move will pave the way for Chard to regain the Royal Charter granted by Charles II in 1685, which gave Royal approval for weekly markets and annual fairs to be held in the town.”

District council chairman Cllr Mike Best said: “We wish Chard Town Council all the best in man-aging the market and hope its ideas for developing the market to attract new shoppers become a reality.

“The Area West team will support the formal and permanent transfer of the market, and bel-ieve this is the best way to ach-ieve the ambitions of both councils.