A craft fair will be held at Kendal Indoor Market on Friday.
It is first of a programme of special events throughout the year in South Lakeland District Council’s campaign to make the indoor and outdoor markets flourish again and contribute to a vibrant town centre.
Plans to tender the operation of the markets to an experienced external operator were stalled by economic pressures due to coronavirus.
It was agreed last year to keep the operation in-house and investment be put in place to boost the markets and give traders confidence for the future.
The council now employs a market lead Oofficer to create and maintain good working relationships with all market traders, be responsible for the economic development of the market, lead with the promotion and marketing of the markets and lead and manage marketing of the special market days, and encourage new traders to start at the market.
The council has been working with traders to roll out a staged improvement plan to encourage new traders and increase footfall.
The craft fairs will run alongside the highly successful Kendal farmers’ market, which takes place on the last Friday of every month.
Other exciting events planned for the coming weeks include a Pop-up Pub night along with Kendal brewery Gan Yam on Saturday 30 April.
Councillor Robin Ashcroft, portfolio holder for economy, culture and leisure, said: “South Lakeland District Council is fully committed to promoting the long-term future of Kendal’s markets and their continued part of a vibrant market town.
“The opening of Kendal College’s third campus development in the Westmorland Shopping Centre later this year is an immensely exciting time for the town centre and a potential catalyst for growth and development of the market. Now is a great time to think about taking on a stall which could take advantage of this increased footfall. We have some introductory offers and opportunities for budding traders to try a stall for a short period.
“As a council we recognise Kendal is a market town, therefore its market is absolutely critical and we see it very much as being a hugely important factor in Kendal moving forward – and we want it to be a very successful market place.”
