Stourbridge farmers' market to return

A farmers' market which shut down before Christmas will be back in Stourbridge town centre by the start of next month if plans are given the go-ahead, it emerged today.

Organisers today revealed plans to resurrect the market and hold events twice a month in the town square, starting on the first Saturday in April.

Councillors are expected to rubber-stamp the plans, submitted by Birmingham-based market and event organisers EventMen Ltd, at a meeting of the Dudley Council licensing committee on March 15.

Managing director of EventMen Simon Widdowson said there would be 20 stalls in the market, with around 15 traders already confirmed.

He said he became involved at the request of the town's MP Margot James, who has campaigned for the return of the market since it closed in December.

"It appears that Stourbridge is a great location for this type of market — the traders all seem to have made a good profit there. I have no idea why it closed down before," Mr Widdowson said today.

"We hope to hold a market on the first and third Saturday of each month."