MORE than 7,000 people visited Stockton's Sparkles market last month.
The 2014 Christmas-themed market was the first specialist market to take place on the newly-redesigned High Street in the town.
The new look main street has been designed to host different specialist markets, which in previous years have been held at Stockton Parish Gardens.
With 40 traders involved, Stockton Sparkles was the biggest market the town has hosted so far.
Now Stockton Council is urging traders to take part in the specialist market programme for 2015.
It said that businesses, shops and eateries throughout the town also benefitted from the extra visitors with 51 per cent of shoppers surveyed at the market also planning to pop into a café and 60 per cent going to visit an independent shop.
The 2015 programme of different markets will be the town’s busiest yet. The popular Chic Vintique and Farmers Market will return but there will be some new events too including a Food Festival, Book Fair and Retro Market.
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