A TOWN market that is back up and running is attracting new customers as lockdown eases.

Traders at Bicester Market, which reopened on June 5, 'reinvented' themselves during lockdown by setting up Facebook pages and websites to serve customers via deliveries and takeaways.

Thanks to social media such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, they were able to encourage people to shop local and remind residents to remember them once lockdown was lifted for the market.

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Emma Gould, who manages the market each Friday in Sheep Street with her husband Richard, said: "This appears to have worked, we seem to have a big new following.

"Yesterday, July 3rd, was the busiest market we’ve had since we’ve been back. It also saw the largest number of traders we’ve had for years.

"Each week we have enquiries on how new traders can have a pitch. This is interesting as we’ve been trying for months and months to get new traders on."

Some of the products on offer at the site are fruit and vegetables, clothing, prescription glasses, pet supplies, eggs, picture framing, plants, bread and cakes and antiques.

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There is also a community stall which is normally free to use for charities and is currently set up as a sanitising area and sells homemade face coverings.

So far, the £200 that has been made was donated to charity.

Bicester Market is self-funded and Mrs Gould was worried at first about how people would feel shopping there as lockdown eases, but says she is glad that people are shopping local.

She said: "We were concerned as the public’s feelings towards Covid are hard to gauge.

"We have been very interactive however and provided the sanitising area from the start and all stalls have signage plus we put cones up where needed.

"Last week was our fifth Friday back and it was the busiest. I think it will take more time and we want to build on the renewed interest.

"We were surprised but pleased with how many people are venturing out. It’s personal preference obviously but we thought everyone would stay home."

Mrs Gould has launched a competition where school children can design their ideal market stall.

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All entries must be on paper no larger than A4 with plenty of labelling and descriptions too.

Entries are to be brought to the community stall outside Warrens Bakery every Friday and the closing date is Friday, July 31.

There will be a winner for a primary school entry and one for a secondary school entry with prizes given for both.

Your name and school year must be put on your submission.

Bicester Market is open from 9am to 4pm on Fridays.

It was first licensed in Bicester in 1239 and had various homes moving from Market Square in October 2004 to its current one on Sheep Street.