THE Winchester Street Market is moving to The Broadway in a trial move on Sundays.

It will be on The Broadway from Sunday, September 6.

The Broadway was proposed as the permanent location for the street market once Silver Hill was developed.

For many years it was staged in the Middle Brook Street area and on the open-air car park.

But a couple of years ago it moved to the High Street, sparking complaints about congestion and from shopkeepers.

The city council says the trial will test an element of the long-term aspirations around increasing the vibrancy of the Central Winchester Regeneration area. Organisers are also looking to assess the benefits around improved ease of social distancing in the more spacious area.

There will be a limited number of stalls positioned on the Lower High Street and Middle Brook Street.

The trial will assess the impact on the market and High Street footfall as well as the level of traffic generated in Colebrook Street.

City council cabinet member for housing and asset management, Cllr Kelsie Learney, said: “The need for social distancing has led us to rethink how we carry on many activities within Winchester. Moving the market to The Broadway was suggested in the Central Winchester Regeneration Area Supplementary Planning Document and it seems the ideal location for people to enjoy Winchester’s fantastic market offering in a spacious, central location.

"We’re looking forward to seeing how the experiment works in practice and taking it from there.”

To accommodate the stalls, The Broadway will be closed from the bus station entrance to the junction of Market Street and Colebrook Street, with access to the Mercure Wessex Hotel and Market Street routed via Colebrook Street. Great Minster Street and the Square will remain closed to through traffic.