On the first day of the move, my Cabinet Member for Planning and Economic Development Atif Nawaz and I took the opportunity to go down and wish the market traders well in their new home. Many people using the market also told us how much they approved of the location.
I very much hope this is the first step in our market becoming ever more successful, some of our traders have been with the market for many years.
Indeed, following the move, last week I saw a stall I hadn't seen before for the first time. There is ample room for more stalls, so it is also my hope that now we have made this move, it will grow from strength to strength.
It has been a journey with the market. It needed to move from the High Street, well over a decade ago now, because the footfall wasn't there during the day any more. People remember it there with nostalgia, but stallholders ultimately have to make a profit, so there wasn't much alternative.
It had to then move from Queens Square during the extensive regeneration works which gave that part of the Town Centre much needed investment and improvement.
And the market was left on Haslett Avenue West, where it remained for some years. I remember one of my first promises as council Leader to residents regarding the market was that we would take action on this. I very much consider this another major example of us fulfilling our promises.
But, as I mentioned earlier, this is only the first step, now the market is in the right place (and work can begin in delivering the exciting Station Gateway project later this year), we will look at what can be done to further enhance the local market offer, so watch this space!