There will be more for shoppers to explore on the King’s Lynn and Hunstanton markets next week (7 – 12 August).

A range of new traders are preparing to set up their stalls on King’s Lynn’s Tuesday Market Place (7 & 10 August) and Saturday Market Place (11 August) and Hunstanton’s Southend car park (12 August) as part of a new initiative to encourage entrepreneurialism and entice shoppers to explore the markets.

Approximately 30 new traders have taken the opportunity to be part of the Test the Market initiative, which offered would-be traders a free pitch on the market during the week 6-12 August and an opportunity to test out a business idea at low risk.

The new stalls will be selling a range of goods including antiques, collectables, paintings, baby goods, cup cakes, eco-clothing, quirky crafts, garden ornaments, vintage clothing, pottery, jewellery, puppets and more.

Cllr Alistair Beales, Cabinet Member for Regeneration, said, “Test the Market is designed to raise the profile of the market and give shoppers greater diversity. We have had an enthusiastic response from people wanting to take one of the pitches, now we are hoping that shoppers will want to test the market for themselves.”

Initially the council was hoping to attract up to 12 new traders to take on the stalls but there was such a high level of interest in the scheme that it was extended and now approximatley 30 new traders will be accommodated during the course of the week.

During the Test the Market period (7 – 12 August) charges for existing stallholders will also be waived.

Existing stallholders will not be charged for pitches up to 25 ft. Traders occupying larger pitches will only pay for the additional space.