Town's £5.8m market piazza nears completion

Work to improve a seaside town's Market Place is nearing completion, with stalls returning to a refurbished piazza on Saturday.

The £5.8m regeneration in Great Yarmouth town centre began in June last year with new paving, benches, lighting and planters being installed.

The two-day market – which opens on Saturdays and Wednesdays - has been based on the north-side of the Market Place while work has been carried out, but will move back to its usual home in the piazza.

The Conservative leader of Great Yarmouth Borough Council, Carl Smith, said he was "delighted" the stalls were able to return.

"This marks a significant step in our ambitious plans to improve the area for residents, visitors and traders," he said.

"The Market Place is really coming together and will complement the covered market and improve the offer for shoppers, as well as providing a better environment for our stallholders," he added.

The council said a small amount of work would remain to be completed after Easter and it hoped the refurbishment would attract more people to the town centre.

It began after more than £5m was spent on building a new covered market.

Meanwhile, work on converting the former Palmers department store into a library and learning hub is nearing completion, with it expected to open in the next few weeks.

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