A REVITALISED market has passed its trial period with flying colours.

Flint market returned to the town in May after a break of more than a decade and now has more than 30 stalls trading every Friday.

Located in Church Street, the market is just coming to the end of its three-month trial and at a meeting of Flint Town Council this week members unanimously approved a plan to extend the trial period for 12 months.

Flint councillor Alex Aldridge said: “I formally moved an extension on the basis that the market has been welcomed by indigenous shop owners.

“I myself have walked through the town on Fridays and seen how vibrant it is. It’s a safe environment and there’s a good range of stalls which complement the shops already there.”

The market’s extension will also see the road closure on Church Street last until 6.30pm on Fridays rather than 4.30pm as it has been for the last three months.

“There’s a lot of people who work shifts in the area,” said Cllr Aldridge. “There’s staff from Airbus and the Deeside Industrial Park so extending the time means more people with disposable income will come into the town.”

Alan Woolfender, who runs a Welsh themed market stall, would like to see the market become permanent.

“I think the market’s going well,” he said. “I sell school uniforms as well but I don’t want to invest in them until I know the market’s permanent.

“Trade started of really well but it has slowed a bit but I can see the market being really good.”

Leon Van-Berkel, who runs a flower stall, thinks more people need to visit the market if it is to keep going.

He said: “The market still needs to be built up, trade will have to pick up for us to keep coming. I can see it working though, it’s a nice town.”

l AT THEIR meeting this week, members of Flint Town Council also decided to support the victims of last Friday’s massacre in Norway.

Cllr Aldridge said: “We formally moved that Flint Town Council would write to the Norwegian government expressing our sincere condolences for the tragedy.”