MARKET towns and villages across west Wiltshire are working round the clock to make sure their local communities benefit from the lifting of the Covid-19 coronavirus lockdown restrictions.

With street markets resuming in many towns across the county, high streets are beginning to see shoppers return.

Business and civic leaders across Wiltshire have applauded the Wiltshire Times’ Backing Business Campaign, aimed at getting people to help save our Wiltshire High Streets.

With many shops, restaurants and other businesses now making preparations for the lifting of lockdown restrictions, the Wiltshire Times is asking readers to think local to give businesses a much-needed boost.

In Trowbridge, the town’s Fore Street market was back this week, with general stalls as well as the food stalls which have been able to continue trading, and Melksham market opened for the first time on Tuesday.

As a sign of the revival, a new shop is about to open in Trowbridge’s main street. The Every Day Market, a grocery, fruit and vegetables and bakery is opening its doors in Fore Street.

Its co-founder, Murat Andak, who is also a shareholder in Eagle Taxis, said: “We are hoping to open over the weekend.

“It’s what people want. They are fed up with coffee shops. They just want to see something different.”

Mr Andak, 34, who has lived in Trowbridge for 12 years, said he has already received good feedback from prospective customers to his plans for the shop, which is opposite Costa Coffee.

“There is a demand for this and now is the right time to invest in the shop. We have been working on this for about a year.”

The Trowbridge Weaver's Markets, which were so popular last year, have been cancelled for the rest of this year because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Cllr Stewart Palmen, chairman of Trowbridge Weaver's organisers' group, said: "The markets were due to have taken place on the second Saturday of each month up to October 11.

"We decided to cancel the market on July 12 because of the lockdown restrictions and it was felt it would not be financially viable for the stallholders to hold the other three on August 9, September 13 and October 11

"We are looking at other options, including holding one-off events in the town park or at the Old Town Hall, or perhaps a Christmas Market."

The organisers of the Innox Mill Anonymous Travelling Market are planning to go ahead with their event from 10am to 4pm on Sunday July 19 next to the train station car park after cancelling their first three markets on April 19, May 17 and June 21.

The news is likely to be welcomed by Trowbridge Chamber of Commerce and Invest in Trowbridge who have been promoting local businesses online during lockdown.

Kez Garner, president of Trowbridge Chamber, said: "The Innox Market and Weavers Market have been working out how they can relaunch their street markets as soon as possible with crowd control/social distancing measures."

"I and other local businesses have spent lockdown time promoting local businesses online.

“Many of those have started manufacturing products such as cakes, bread, face masks etc at home for the first time, selling from home or from the doorstep, working shorter hours, and delivering directly to customers.”

“We would like to help create a database of ‘Trowbridge delivers’ for ongoing trading after lockdown.

“We have been updating our Chamber of Commerce business database, website, social media and calendar of events for as soon as face-to -face business networking can commence.

“We are looking for a hub where business owners, landlords, market traders etc can come to connect and look for shared/temporary premises in the town."