Business boosters had happy faces after councillors approved a new street trading policy which will allow food markets and fairs in the town centre again.

Di Powell and Rachael Youd from InSwindon Business Improvement District were at Euclid Street to see members of Swindon Borough Council’s licensing committee take just a few minutes to approve a new policy on street-trading in the town centre.

Specific measures include a ban on street trading by food vendors within 200 metres of a school and the dropping of a rule that only allows food stalls as a secondary aspect of any market. This means that food festivals and markets could be allowed within the area of the town centre where the only street traders allowed are properly organised markets.

The definition of a market will be a minimum of four stalls.

As she left the meeting Ms Powell said: “We’re going away happy.”

The council’s cabinet member for the town centre, Coun Dale Heenan hope the new policy will help create more of a buzz in the central shopping zone, and by attracting people to the area, will help traders already there.

He said: “I am a big supporter of having events being held in the town centre. The new policy is common sense, and more relaxed, to make it easier for people to hold markets, fairs, events and anything else you could think of that is beneficial to encourage participation in our town centre.

“We hear the problems with retail and high streets almost daily in the news because of the rise of online shopping. The new policy complements existing shops, and I want Swindon to buzz with good experiences for people to enjoy both day and night.

“We need spaces and places where people can meet and bring visitors. The likes of food festivals, cultural celebrations and a diverse range of fairs and festivals are a fantastic way to engage our own communities and to drive investment in our town.”

In 2014 the stricter policy on street-traders was brought in regarding the town centre.

It said that in specific streets in the town, including Regent Street, Regent Circus, The Parade and Canal Walk, street traders could only sell hot food as a secondary item to the stall's main business. The ideas was to curtail burger and doughnut vans selling in the main shopping streets.

The new policy will be taken to the full council for a final decision - probably at the next meeting in late January.