New car boot sale site for Oldbury

A car park in Dudley Road, Oldbury, will be turned into a into a car boot sale and market each Sunday- attracting potentially hundreds of traders to the 561-space site.

Part of the car park, which is used by council workers during the week, will be transformed after plans were approved by Sandwell Council planning officers under delegated powers.

Councillor Ian Jones, cabinet member for economy and jobs, said: "This is another initiative that the council has come up with that seeks to increase trade in this part of Sandwell and I welcome the decision to allow it to go ahead.

"I think it's an opportunity that will help budding entrepreneurs to try their new trade."

The proposal for the scheme was created by the urban regeneration team at Sandwell Council earlier this year and was initially approved by the council in July last year, when it was claimed that there was a growing demand for the introduction of such a service in the town.

The market will be open to customers between 8am and 12.30pm with slightly earlier times available for traders to give them time to set up their stalls.

Council bosses hope the market will attract additional shoppers to the town on Sundays when footfall is traditionally lower.

Similar market days in Great Bridge, Tipton and Wednesbury have proved popular and have seen the number of people visiting and spending money increase.

Councillor Jones added: "If it is anything like West Bromwich Market has been recently, with football sized crowds and plenty of market traders, then it will be on the road to success.

"Markets in the borough are helping to increase footfall to our towns and the number of shoppers spending money.

"Hopefully it will be a success and will go from strength to strength."

The car park would be cleaned up and back in use for council workers in time for Monday mornings.

Portable toilets will also be included on site and a large skip installed to hold rubbish collected during and after each market.