LAST month Leominster’s long-running weekly market relocated from its usual location in the Corn Square to Etnam Street car park in order to make space for ongoing improvement works.

Concerns were quickly raised that the move away from the square would negatively affect stallholders who rely on the market as a crucial source of income. On June 14, I headed to Etnam Street car park myself to see how business was faring.

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Upon arrival I was pleased to see that most of the regular stallholders were in attendance, as I feared that many might have given up on Leominster for the time being and sought somewhere else to sell their wares.

Despite the high turnout of traders, the ambience was significantly lacking. What used to be a vibrant, loud, populated market had become distinctly quiet, with an obvious decline in the number of customers.

Nevertheless I was impressed by just how much was on offer. Flowers, homemade cakes, cheese, local bread, fresh fish, quality clothes and more were up for grabs. I tried a Biscoff slice from Just VW Desserts and I must say it was gorgeous.

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It was only after talking to the traders that I got a full picture of the difference made by the relocation. There was a general feeling that whilst regular customers have remained loyal to the market, there has been a sharp decline in footfall, with casual shoppers and people passing through not knowing where the market is based.

Whilst everyone I spoke to agreed that there were fewer customers, some were uncertain whether it was entirely due to the relocation or whether other factors such as weather were making a difference too.

There was also anxiety that delays would plague the works and prolong the issue for stallholders.

Whilst I was disappointed by the lack of shoppers, I was in no way let down by the market itself. The stallholders continue to be cheery and helpful, selling plenty of high-quality, local goods.

If you’re in the area on a Friday, make sure you visit the market and show your support.