Braintree town centre may see the advent of a Sunday Christmas market during the festive season

The possibility of extra market days in the run up to Christmas was discussed at a Town Centre Strategy Group meeting.

Ken Game, group chairman, said: "There was really no objections to it at all. It would probably be the three Sundays before Christmas when George Yard would open. I would think one would certainly complement the other."

David Mann, group member and councillor for Bocking North (Lab), said: "If other shops in the town centre joined in it could provide local people with an alternative to travelling to other towns.

"We believe there should be no pressure to shop, work or open on a Sunday. That should remain an individual choice, and we know and respect that some local retailers for a variety of reasons prefer to shut on Sundays."

Simon Taylor, community operations manager at the council, was approached by traders about the Sunday market.

A straw poll of traders showed most would take advantage of the extra day in the Christmas build-up.

Published Tuesday, June 24, 2003

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