A year on from the first request for a French Market, Ringwood Town Council has been invited to host a French Market over 3 days in February and an Italian Market in June. Both Markets will take place in the Market Place, occupying the same sites that the weekly Wednesday Market currently takes place, with the hope of increasing footfall into the town.
Mayor of Ringwood, Councillor Barbara Woodifield said: “Other towns have regular markets like these all year round and they have been shown to increase visitor numbers to those towns. We hope this will have the same effect in Ringwood, but we will be looking to local businesses and residents comments before committing to more’.
The Town Council recently created a working party to look at the re-generation of the High Street and Town Centre and how best they might support local business. During February, the council will be looking at the potential membership of a ‘Town Partnership’ made up of local business representatives and how best to work together.
Jo Hurd, the Deputy Town Clerk for Ringwood Town Council, said ‘I am supporting councillors in moving this project forward and would be happy to hear from any local business who feel they would like to get involved, or have more information about the project’. More than 20 local businesses in Ringwood have closed since last December and the new initiative will look at ways of supporting new business as well as attracting new business to the town.
