THIS month the Cumbrian Traders Markets will be returning to St Nicholas' Gardens. 

The markets will take place every month throughout the summer from May until August, returning once more in December for Christmas time. 

Whitehaven Town Council organise the markets along with with events throughout the year. 

Mayor Chris Hayes said: "We try to improve them every year and open them up to people to get them into the town. 

"We want to ensure that footfall is enlarged because it's better for the area. Over the previous years, shopkeepers have told us that they're more successful when the markets are on.

"This is why we try to improve them, making them bigger and better every year."

A council spokesperson explained: "When we first started them several years ago the town still had the remnants of traditional market on Thursday and Saturday. So we didn't want to take either of those days, so we chose Friday.

"Now, the town market has well and truly died so we're moving the day to the traditional Thursday, which we are hoping will bring back a few memories among people and also help rekindle the town centre. 

"At first there wasn't room for what we wanted to do in the market place so we chose St Nicholas' Garden as our location. 

"We were working with new traders who were Cumbrian producers of crafts and food which wasn't the general market in the town at the time. Now we're established where we're at we wouldn't want to move. 

"Everything on offer will be local produce. We have a local cheese man who's extremely popular, we usually get Castle Chocolates from Carlisle, others include crafters who make felt animals and candles. 

"We usually have 26 traders, so anyone who is curious or misses the old-fashioned markets in the town we'd encourage to come along to St Nicholas' and then go to explore the rest of the town. It's so easy to access Lowther Street and King Street from there as well."