A FARMERS market in the town centre is set to relaunch with a reduced number of stalls as the organisers hope to establish stronger roots in the area.

The Havelock Street Farmers’ Market was cancelled for the last two months following poor public support and bad sales forecasts for January.

The weekly market, which takes place every Thursday in Havelock Square, was brought back to the town last October by popular demand, but despite the initial excitement and steady flow of shoppers, stallholders noticed a dramatic drop in trade after the first couple of weeks.

Now Kardien Gerbrands hopes to reinvigorate the market with quality local producers taking part in a mini-market every Thursday from this Thursday, in the hope it will one day grow into a much larger operation.

While the weather has played havoc with farmers’ stocks this winter, as many farms across the UK are still vicitms of flooding, he was keen to stress the produce available would be of the highest quality.

He said: “The weekly town centre Farmers Market returns to Havelock Square this Thursday after the mid-winter lay off with a small but beautiful selection of stalls.

“The unforseen weather means there won’t be any meat this week, with fields sodden and flooded, but there are meat producers gearing up for the market who will be joining shortly.

“We are pleased to be back and we are feeling pretty confident about what’s going to happen in terms of stall numbers. We have six this week but that will expand.

“We hope the market becomes established and we feel it adds a different dimension to what’s in the town centre.”

This week’s market has fresh seasonal vegetables from Paget’s Veg and Styan’s Family farm, plants for the garden and orchids from Styles Nursery, farmhouse cheeses from Glastonbury Dairies, eggs from Beechwood farm, bread and cakes with a French twist from La Parisienne and soaps and beauty products from the Soap Bar Company.

The market will be running every Thursday in the square from 9am to 2.30pm.