A MARKET is thriving once again after undergoing painstaking preparations for the easing of lockdown restrictions.

Like the majority of businesses and shops across the country, Pitsea Market was forced to close in March as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

Lockdown was put in place just a matter of weeks after owner LCP, the national commercial property investment company, took over the running of the market following the decision taken by Charfleets to serve notice to give up the operation following more than 25 years in charge.

But thanks to the meticulous planning by Dean Tredinnick of UK Market Management Ltd, who is contracted to run the open-air market for LCP, Pitsea Market was able to partially open to stall holders selling essential items on May 18.

Since reopening, the market has increased the number of traders from 35 in March to more than 70 traders on Wednesdays and Saturdays in July. It has also opened on Mondays, to meet demand, and still operates its secondhand market on Fridays.

Julian Diamond, director of asset management at LCP, is pleased to see hundreds of shoppers flocking back to Pitsea Market.

He said: “Since lockdown restrictions eased, we’ve promoted Super Saturday and Bounceback Monday, and have continued to expand the market every week.

“We’ve had consistently high footfall and trading figures since, which culminated in our best single day trading figures, in early July, since the market moved to its present location in 2015.

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“This has been achieved through the determination and hard work by Dean and his team. The groundwork is already paying off and it is great to see the local community supporting the town centre and its facilities.”

Since the market reopened in May, it has seen the number of shoppers soar, welcomed more stallholders and continues to receive enquiries from new potential traders.

Traders have also been made to adjust to new guidelines in a bid to halt the spread of coronavirus.

Julian added: “We explored the different ways in which we could get parts of the market up and running safely and within the social distancing guidelines.

“We increased the size of the walkways, introduced a one-way system, installed hand sanitiser stations at the entrance and exit and added more market officers.

“We provided each trader with updated regulations and gave them guidance on how to be responsible for social distancing around their stalls.”