EMBRYONIC plans for a new street market in the centre of Coleford are being discussed – with a view to returning the town to the status it enjoys on the signboards at the boundaries – 'Coleford – Historic Market Town.'

In an effort to bring up the numbers of people visiting Coleford – knocked back allegedly by the imposition of car parking charges – local shopkeepers have been meeting to agree the best ways of promoting the town.

The idea of bringing back a market has been widely praised, particularly by those people who can recall the 'old days' when the town centre market day was a major event, far removed from the sparse number of stalls that occupy the waste ground to the side of the Co-op today.

A meeting is expected to be called in the coming weeks to see the level of interest the idea could generate, and for potential stallholders to get in touch.

The organisers were encouraged to act by the huge popularity of the Forest Food Fayre at Speech House two weeks ago, and they are keen to hear from any of the local traders who were at that event to come forward.

More details of the proposed market are available from the Forest Bookshop, St John Street, Coleford.