A POPULAR market is setting its stall out for an extra day’s trading due to growing demand.

Traders at Shrewsbury Market Hall have broken the tradition of a mid-week closure and will now open on a Thursday for a trial period.

Stallholders at the indoor market, including Mirage Mediterranean Mezze,

Pengwern Books and Hopesay Glebe Farm, will now open from 9am-2pm until July 7.

The market is currently open all day on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

Bosses are hoping to make five-day trading a permanent feature if the trial is successful.

The Thursday opening is one of a number of changes sweeping the shopping market.

Shoppers can now visit new retro clothing outlets Vintage Gem’s and Dogeared Vintage on the ground floor of the market, The Jewellery Workshop, which makes handmade silver jewellery to order and homeware stall, I Love Compost.

New children’s clothing stall Lily’s House also acts as a clothing agency for pre-worn clothes for children under five.

Existing L&E Designs and Crafts is also moving from unit 36 to 51 and 52 on the gallery level due to expansion.

Kate Gittins, site facilities manager at the Market Hall said: “We launched our Thursday opening trial with selected traders taking part.

“It’s difficult to judge the footfall as it was the first day and, with it being half term, we can’t compare with a normal trading day.

“But there was a great spirit between the traders that were open.

“What we have to do now is push the message that we are now open for a fifth day and hope the public get behind their local traders.”

The Market Hall has also launched a new website plus pages on the social networking sites Facebook and Twitter.

See www.markethall shrewsbury.co.uk for more details.