GLOUCESTER Green Market will stay closed during lockdown after just one stallholder showed a sustained interest in trading.

LSD Promotions, which manages the open-air market, had been urged to continue operating after The Covered Market was allowed to remain open.

But the company revealed only three traders expressed an initial interest in running their stalls during the four-week shutdown, with that number dropping to one this week.

Director Dermot McGillicuddy said: “Closing was the only answer as it would be cost prohibitive to provide a full Covid-compliant and safe supervised marketplace facility to three traders.

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“LSD has spent seven years rebuilding and reshaping the markets in Gloucester Green and the last thing we wanted was a second closure here for the city.

“We have been progressing our plans to open up the square to the arts and over the last four months have seen many local artists take up our free stall offer with great success, so many have had to be disappointed by the latest restrictions, which are completely out of our control.”

The market reopened in June and operated from Wednesday to Saturday, with a Sunday trial starting less than two weeks before lockdown.

There are more than 80 different traders, but only a small minority sell goods classed as essential by the government.

City councillor for Wolvercote Liz Wade suggested opening the market only on Wednesdays for fresh food sales.

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She said: “There’s no reason for it to close providing people are careful.

“The last thing we want is for a small business to go to the wall because it wasn’t able to trade.

“It’s an important time of year as people eat and buy more in the run up to Christmas.”

The Covered Market, managed by the city council, is allowing fresh food sales, deliveries, takeaways and click-and-collect from non-essential retail.

LSD Promotions and Gloucester Green stallholders are eligible for Additional Restrictions Grants of up to £2,000, for businesses without a rateable value.

Tony Hart, from the city council’s regeneration and economy service said: “We will use the ARG process to support the market traders and may also be able to provide limited support to LSD Promotions.”