The new Christmas market in town could be a regular event during the festive season if all goes to plan.

Selling a variety of foods, including Yorkshire pudding wraps, the new market has been described as a taster and, if successful it could return on a larger scale.

Coun Cathy Martyn said: “Most of us will have, at some time or another, visited a town with a buzzing Christmas market.

“We know that for most of these towns and cities, markets are now a key tourist attraction, and can really add to the festive spirit.

“I am very pleased that we have attracted a number of Christmas-themed food stalls to Swindon in the form of a taster Christmas market and if all goes well this year, the market will return next year even bigger and better.

“We need to ensure we visit and buy to make it worth the trader’s while being in our town.”

She added: “It’s a known fact customers visiting the Christmas market make additional purchases elsewhere in the town centre and in most places where a market is held, there is a reported boost for shops and cafes.

“We need to embrace the market as an important generator of footfall and retail turnover to the town centre at a time when it is common to see a natural downturn in trade to out of town shopping.”

Coun Dale Heenan, the borough council’s cabinet member for the town centre, added: “I think it’s looking very positive and Swindon really needs residents to show support so we can build on it in 2020.

“There has been lots of positive reaction and comments such as ‘the town is buzzing at the moment’ and ‘altogether it feels a lot nicer’ are typical of the feel-good factor that has been created.”

One stand owner so far has said the number of customers has been steady.

Tracey Lock, who runs the Great British Fudge Company shed, said: “We’re not expecting much, we just really enjoy the Christmas atmosphere.

“I think having a Christmas market here could bring a lot more people into the town.

“And it could create more of an atmosphere,” she said.

“Most towns and cities have a German market and it will do the town good for something like this to come here.

“It’s been quite steady at the moment, over the whole time it should be a good run out.

“But the atmosphere is what makes it feel more festive.”

The market is open daily to 6pm on The Parade until December 21.