A new name, more signs and a £30,000 publicity budget have been given the go ahead to help improve Maidstone Market.

Councillors have agreed to a number of measures to help bring the Saturday and Tuesday markets in Barker Road up to scratch.

This includes re branding it Maidstone Market at Lockmeadow.

A £30,000 budget for publicity has also been agreed in principle, with funds coming from hoped for increases in parking revenue.

Plans to increase promotion of the market and the shuttle service that runs to and from the town centre, with possible advertising on buses and on local radio, and incentives to new traders were also given the green light.

Signs between between the town centre and the market are also to be improved, including the route across the Millennium bridge near the Archbishops’ Palace.

Cllr Brian Moss (Con), cabinet member for leisure and culture, said the council wished to continue to encourage people and traders to continue to come to Maidstone.

He said: “Markets across the country are suffering and are not as popular as they were 20 years ago. However, Maidstone Market still attracts a good number of people and we wish to encourage that.

Cllr Moss said markets faced difficulty in attracting a wide range of goods, but that Maidstone had historically done well because it did not allow too many of the same type of stalls.

He said: “We want to make sure the market traders can make a good living.”

Plans to extend the opening hours until 3pm were rejected by councillors who stated there was no evidence that such an extension would create more interest or use.

At the moment the market operates from 7am until about 1.30pm.

There has been a market in Maidstone for more than 700 years.