BOSSES in charge of promoting Accrington's Victoria Market Hall claim the venue has been given 'a new dimension' since its relaunch nine months ago.

The 146-year-old market, which was given a £2 million refurbishment in 2010, has trialled a new website, YouTube page and online shopping in a bid to boost trade.

But one stallholder told the Lancashire Telegraph he had seen 'no marked improvement in footfall'.

Scott Dawson Advertising, based in Billington Road, Burnley, took over responsibility for publicising the market hall last September.

Its managing director, Murray Dawson, said other councils were now looking at following Hyndburn's model after the success of its online offers.

He said: "We understand markets and we saw that Accrington Market wasn't selling itself quite as well as it could be.

"All of the great things were in place, but sometimes we all forget how affordable, satisfying and fun it is to shop at your local market hall. It was time to shake things up a little, so the idea of ‘marketing our market' in a thoroughly modern way was born.

"Hyndburn Council listened and together we got to work developing a digital and practical solution that builds on all of the fantastic traits of our much-loved market, as well as making them available for the first time to an online audience."

The Grade II-listed building held a grand re-opening with Jesse McClure, star of the hit Dave TV show Storage Hunters, and now boasts a personal shopper who can collect goods and deliver them within a three-mile radius.

Kirsty Lauder, 23, said: "Whether customers call in to quickly collect their order at a time convenient to them, or arrange to have one of our drivers drop it off at their home or business, I can look after that.

"And if there's something special that customers can't see on the website, chances are I can hunt it out from one of the stalls if they contact me."

Conservative Cllr Peter Britcliffe, who runs Milly's Balcony Cafe at the market, said: "I would say it has been steady but I haven't noticed a marked improvement in footfall.

"However, anything that is done to boost the market, I welcome. I'm glad to hear they think it's working in some respects. Maybe as a cafe we don't see the benefits of the online offer so much, but it's an excellent service."