Plans to reinstate the historic weekday market in Witham’s Newland Street are being finalised.

Community interest company Marketing Witham has secured the details of the town’s market charter, and is putting together plans to re-open a market on the main street once the charter has been officially re-instated at the beginning of March.

The weekly market will be right at the heart of the town centre, and will have space for between 20 and 30 pitches at first.

Paul Ryland, a director of Marketing Witham CIC, said: “Everybody has been talking about it for a long time but it didn’t seem people were doing anything about it.

“I think it is important that the market comes back to Witham, it is a terrible shame not to have one in Newland Street.

“With a good market, which I think this will become over time, it gives the opportunity for residents to have an alternative to using the supermarkets in the town.

“A lot of smaller shops are closing at the moment because of high overheads, market trading can be an alternative.”

The initial Market Charter was signed by Queen Anne in 1703 to trader John Bennett, giving him permission to trade in the town. After the charter has been re-instated, the market will return on a weekly basis on Tuesdays, just as the document states.

Mr Ryland said: “The lawyers have advised me that the charter is all ready and in order.

“We have said we are going to carry on where John Bennett left off all those years ago.” Witham MP Priti Patel welcomed the move, and praised the community interest company for their hard work in securing the charter.

She said: “Witham has been a historic market town and I welcome the fantastic efforts that have been made to track down the historic Market Charter and campaign for its re-instatement.

“There remains some more work to do before the market will be in place.

“I will continue to support Paul and the team so we can get the market up and running.

“The re-instatement of the Witham market will help raise the profile of the town and bring in more footfall to support businesses and jobs.”

Braintree Council and Essex County Council have been asked to raise any objections in writing.

The charter will be officially reinstated on Tuesday, March 6.

Many traders already sell at a market in Lockram Lane Car Park, Witham, on Saturdays.