TRADERS and shoppers in Morecambe beat a path to the town's new Festival Market this week after years of bartering and haggling finally came to an end at Poulton Square.

The new trading place, along with 400 car park spaces, off Central Drive, was launched on Tuesday and means the council is one step closer to completing the town's £35 million regeneration project.

Councillors are still waiting to see if they will be awarded an extra £750,000 from the National Lottery to use the undercover market for art festivals as well as develop the old railway station into a pub.

Chairman of Morecambe tourism Coun Derrick Stanley said: "I hope the new modern facilities will be well used by the local community and the council is confident it will bring more tourists and day visitors to the town."

Tuesdays and Thursdays will still be town's traditional market days although from May 4 the Festival market will also be open every Saturday and Sunday.

Director of development Charles Wilson added: "Progress is going extremely well and the completion of the market means we're one step closer to regenerating Morecambe."

The new market, which caters for 120 traders, follows the council's follows the completion of new Superbowl, Morrison's supermarket and the recently completed Apollo Cinema.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.