BARROW Market is regenerating its outdoor area to give the site a 'new lease of life'.

Phase two of redeveloping Barrow's outdoor market is currently underway after calls to modernise the space.

The rusty metal framework is being removed this week to help revamp the outdoor area.

Jacqui Armstrong, Barrow Market administration assistant, said the area has been in need of a change for a while.

She said: "We started the first phase earlier on in the year which was removing the front stalls.

"And during lockdown, we thought it would be good idea to move forward and remove the back stalls as well.

"They weren't fit for purpose anymore - they were rusting and when it rained, the guttering overflowed and there was pigeons nesting above there which doesn't make the area look very appealing."

The outdoor area will still be a market space except traders will bring their own pop up stalls.

"We're still planning on using the space as an outdoor market and getting our regular outdoor traders," Ms Armstrong said.

"But instead they will be bringing their own pop up stalls and trade from their vans as well.

"We're also hoping to buy some wooden temporary cabins for the outdoor market which can be used for events.

"We're looking at buying some of our own pop up stalls for traders wanting to use the outdoor market but don't have a pop up of their own.

"The outdoor market is still open - we don't want people to think that area is closed, this is just an ongoing plan of the council to enhance that area."

The outdoor area has been successfully used by a number of events including Dino Day.

Ms Armstrong said: "The area was tried out by Dino Day for the 'meet the dinosaurs' session which proved very popular.

"We had entertainers performing in the area and it was great to see. We want to use the area as an events stage as it's right in the middle of the shopping area and where we get the most sunshine.

"Hopefully all these changes to the outdoor market will encourage people to come back out into the town centre and into the market and see how fabulous it is - it's a new lease of life for the market."