New weekly food and craft market coming to Black Country
A new weekly market will launch in a Black Country town centre after the plans were backed by councillors.
The food and craft market will be held each Saturday on Lower High Street and Coventry Street in Stourbridge.
LSD Promotions initially wanted to hold a market on Thursdays on High Street and Market Street, closing off the streets to traffic.
But the company was forced to re-think the proposals following opposition from traders who were concerned about the impact shutting the town centre's two main streets to traffic would have on businesses.
Dudley Council's licensing committee gave the revised plans the go-ahead on Monday.
Committee member Councillor Michael Evans believes the market will be a boost for Stourbridge.
He said: "We felt it would be very good for the town.
"They are a very professional company and came across quite strong."
The initial plan to bring the weekly market to Stourbridge town centre was watered down following opposition from traders to the original proposals.
LSD Promotions wanted to launch a food and craft market on Thursdays, which would have involved closing the town centre's two main streets, High Street and Market Street, to traffic.
But the plans were withdrawn after the town's chamber of trade was unhappy about the planned road closures.
The company went back to the drawing board and came up with new plans to move the market it already holds twice a month in the town to the pedestrianised Lower High Street and Coventry Street, and to make it a weekly event each Saturday.
Original plans for the Thursday market were unveiled last year.
LSD wanted to have stalls lining High Street and Market Street in a bid to attract more shoppers to the town and offer something different. But the chamber of trade voiced its concerns.
