THERE are hopes that Ludlow Market may reopen before long as the town moves towards a new normality.

A decision will be made soon about the market and follows the easing of lockdown measures that allow open air markets to operate.

It will be for Ludlow Town Council that runs the market to give its approval.

Under a Government timeline other non-essential shops should be open from the middle of June.

Ludlow shops and traders have experienced mixed fortunes since the lockdown started in March.

Tish Dockerty, the manager of the Local to Ludlow Produce Market and a member of the Chamber of Trade in the town, has said that it is a mixed picture for businesses in the town.

“Some are doing really well with food and deliveries and obviously some are just completely shut until at least early June,” she said.

Local to Ludlow, the organisers of the long established and extremely popular farmers market in the town are now into their seventh week of a ‘pop up’ shop.

They are delighted by the success of the shop, providing small food and drink producers with some income whilst markets are banned in town.

In fact, so appreciative are their regular customers, they’ve sold-out of many products during their brief mornings of trading.

However, Tish Dockerty, believes it’s time to start planning for the market to return.

“We think that we can run a safe market in Castle Square, fulfilling Government guidelines, we just need support from the town council and local constabulary to make it happen,” she said.

“The new Government guidelines do say that the risk of infection outside is significantly lower than inside, thus making outdoor markets far safer.”

Ms Dockerty liaised with police, so the pop-up shop adhered to all the guidelines laid down by the Government to ensure customers were safe, coned queuing, marked floor space as well as card payments.”