Melksham Market celebrated its first birthday yesterday complete with cake and a visit from the town’s crier.

The market, which runs every Tuesday, originally launched in Church Street car park before taking up its new home at Market Place this April. Among the stalls are Ken’s Fresh Fish, V&P Collins Farm Shop and Taylors Traditional Bakery.

Market manger for Wiltshire Council, Tom Ince, said: “We had a lot of good feedback from the public when we were researching whether to set one up and the public were very supportive.

“We are very committed to it. Hopefully we can continue to grow it and hopefully it’s here to stay.

“The key thing is public support, it’s very much use it or lose it. If the guys aren’t taking the money they aren’t going to stay around forever.”

Sean Taylor, 47, Bruton, who runs Taylors Traditional Bakery, has been trading at the market since January. He said: “It’s somewhere where people can come and meet if nothing else.

“If we have a lot more stalls then I think a lot more people will come.”

Stallholder Tracy, 49 and husband Phil Collins of V&P Collins Farm Shop, Bromham, have been selling fruit and vegetables since the market opened last year.

Mrs Collins said: “It could be better but it is amazing how many people still don’t know we are here.

“It’s difficult to get other stall holders to come out because the market has been very up and down, but the flow is steady for the few traders that come all the time.”