Saved! Farmers' Market Will Be "Bigger & Better"

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Sun 5th Apr 2009

West Malling Farmers' Market saved from closure! For the foreseeable future it will carry on - the fourth Sunday of every month. The announcement was made Friday 3rd April.

After the meeting Trudy Dean (who called the meeting) said "It has been a real roller coaster, but I am delighted to say that the market will now continue as before, and the April 22nd market will take place. I am very grateful to Paul Carter and to Meopham Farmers' Markets for coming to the rescue.

"We have two years to put the market on a firm financial footing. The market will become bigger and better - we already have requests for extra stalls for April's market. Other businesses opening in West Malling can really benefit from visitors to the market."

The market was put back on track when Kent County Council Leader Paul Carter agreed to Trudy's request to put up two years money for the market. West Malling Parish Council and Malling Action Partnership have agreed to pay towards better advertising. A support group for the market has been set up and Officers at KCC pulled out the stops to get a new road closure order through in time for the April market.

West Malling market was threatened with closure when operator Hughmark collapsed., Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council withdrew their annual £7,000 funding, and did not renew the arrangements to close the High Street for the market. News of the threatened closure did not reach local people until early March. Steve Woods of Meopham Farmers' Markets contacted Trudy with an offer to run the market. Bob Taylor of Kent Farmers' Markets and Julie Monkman of Produced in Kent also offered their support.