THOUSANDS of people enjoyed the first Glebe Market featuring Prom Art on the tennis courts at Bowness on Sunday.

The event was so successful that traders requested an extra date for Easter Sunday and this was confirmed by organisers.

It was pulled together by Bowness & Windermere Forward and Better Leisure and the stall were provided by Prom Art and Geraud Markets.

“We truly were delighted by the response from local people and visitors," said Helen Moriarty, project manager for Bowness and Windermere Forward. "Better Leisure were immediately approached for an extra day and they have said yes which is great news.

"The turnout was fantastic. There was a real sense of excitement, and importantly lots of people were buying both at the markets and in town.

"In total there were 60 stalls, with a strong Windermere and Bowness contingent, which is extremely encouraging for future events as we hope to see this element grow further.

"As an organisation we exist to enhance this area for the people who live and visit here and the markets are a great way to enrich the offering. We are looking forward to future events. ”

One example of the many Lake District businesses that traded at the markets was Joanna Ireland, owner of Bowness-based fashion retail shop The Hen House.

“The atmosphere was fantastic and we did good business too," said Ms Ireland. "As a shop owner from further ‘up the hill’ it made sense for us to have a double presence in town for the day and I am glad we did.

"Anyone in retail will be aware that the traditional high-street is changing so it’s more important than ever to embrace new opportunities like this. We saw an increase in trade in the shop rather than a decrease and I would encourage other local retailers and establishments to get involved too.”

The markets are made possible with support from South Lakeland District Council, Windermere Town Council, Better Leisure, Geraud Markets and Prom Art.

Future Glebe Markets featuring Prom Art will take place on the second Sunday of the month between now and September. For more information on these and other events see www.facebook.com/bownessandwindermereforward/