THE partner brought in by Maidstone council to improve the town's Saturday market has pledged to double the number of regular traders by next year. Bray Associates was chosen by the council from a number of private partners who put forward bids to become involved in the market.

The Middlesex-based company, which already operates markets in Gillingham and Rainham now has the job of making the weekly event more attractive to customers and more profitable.

Cllr John Williams (Lib Dem) portfolio holder for culture and leisure, approved Bray Associates after visiting other markets run by the company and talking to traders there. He said: "They are more or less guaranteeing to double the number of traders at the Saturday markets and we are looking to have at least 60 stalls next year."

The market currently has less than 40 regular traders on a Saturday and operates at a loss. It is expected that this year there will be an underachievement of £11,000.

Bray Associates has agreed that all existing Saturday traders will be welcome in the market and has promised that their rents will remain the same for the first year of the partnership arrangement.

But Cllr Williams admits he is still unsure about how they will react.

"I'm not sure what they will say," he said. "I will talk with them about it and if they come up with anything constructive I will certainly take their comments on board."