A MOVE to bring back the market in Chepstow has been proposed by a town and county councillor.

Councillor Jez Becker has suggested that a regular, thriving market in Chepstow Town Centre would give opportunities to local businesses and organisations and build a positive reputation for the town.

Looking for support from the town council and the community, his proposal said that there should be reliability in timetabling and pricing to make it successful.

He maintained the three successful elements Chepstow have are; a good layout with the ability to close the high street with adequate parking nearby; support from local retailers and residents and an appetite for locally produced and organic foodstuffs.

The success of sustaining a market would be a paid position, rather than rely upon the goodwill of volunteers and suggested a £200 per market day payment.

The person would be responsible for calling off the market due to bad weather, assigning pitches and settling disputes between the stall holders as well as promoting and recruiting for the market and ensuring proper insurance is in place.

Cllr Becker suggested to re-launch the Chepstow Market “with a bang” perhaps dovetailing it with an existing event such as the Mari Llwyd.

Support for the market has been offered by retailers who said they would open on a Sunday to support the market that day and Transition Chepstow offered to recruit produce traders for the market and promote through their networks.

His other recommendations include: Concentrating on creating a core offering of a minimum of 20 stalls, focused on producer stallholders and be open to chasing professional stallholders if they cannot achieve this minimum offer.

Making the market weekly and year round; establishing a town market group with the council and members of the public to organise the entertainments and themed markets;

He also suggested planning regular entertainments as well as themed markets that augment the core offering and starting the process of re-applying for the market licence to add provision for more stalls in Bank Street and Library place.