By George! The market’s back at York Road!

The new Southend Market opens for business this Saturday (23rd April) on the site of the former York Road Market.

It will be the first time in 18 months that the sound of market traders selling their wares will have been heard reverberating around York Road .

The old indoor market had to be demolished by Southend-on-Sea Borough Council after a safety report revealed serious structural defects in October 2009.

But the Council is honouring its commitment not to let the famous old market die - and on Saturday around 30 traders will set up their pitches at York Road once again.

Trading will start at 9am and run through until 4pm, and the market will be open during the same hours the following Saturday 30th April.

Thereafter the market will take place every Friday and Saturday, with the possibility of trading being extended to Thursdays depending on demand.

The site, which can accommodate up to 50 market stalls, will be used for parking on non-market days.

One of the stalls returning to York Road will be the Happy Pear greengrocers, which was given temporary permission to set up in the High Street after the closure of the indoor market.

Southend-on-Sea Borough Council's Corporate Director for Support Services, Sally Holland, said: "It will be fantastic to see a market on the York Road site again.

"We were left with no choice but to demolish the old indoor market because the building had deteriorated over the years and was no longer safe.

"But we always said we wanted a market to continue on the site because it is a part of the town's heritage.

"We wish the new market operators Geraud Markets UK and the stallholders every success at the new market and look forward to seeing them extend trading to Thursdays in the future.

"Open markets are a sign of a vibrant town and what better day for the market to reopen than St George's Day?"