Fakenham’s market due to return home today as town centre reopens two months after major fire

Fakenham Market Place after the demolition. Picture: Matthew Usher. (Image: © Archant Norfolk 2014)

Large parts of Fakenham Market Place have been closed off, for safety reasons, as buildings which suffered structural damage in the May 25 fire have been gradually demolished.

Reports came through yesterday that the cordons are to be removed to allow the market to return to Market Place today.

Linda Jennings, clerk of Fakenham Town Council, which organises the markets, informed traders yesterday of the plans to return the market to Market Place.

She said: 'This is really good news. The traders have been asking regularly about when we can return the market to normal, as many were losing a lot of trade, so we are delighted to be able to get things back to normal.'

Fakenham's hugely popular Thursday markets have been run in the Bridge Street car park ever since the fire.

Many traders have reported up to a 50pc drop in takings every week.

This was due to the market being out of the main area of the town and because it was taking away town centre parking.

Ms Jennings said: 'The market move was also affecting many town centre businesses so it is great news that we can get it back to where it belongs in time for the busy school holiday period.'

Investigations into the cause of Fakenham's biggest fire in living memory are continuing.

The fire ripped through the former Aldiss building, which had been trading as The Original Factory Shop, as well as flats and other neighbouring buildings.

The Original Factory Shop has reopened at the Fakenham Industrial Estate.

* The EDP and its sister paper the Fakenham and Wells Times is running a Let's Fight for Fakenham campaign, which is helping victims of the town's fire.

* To donate, make cheques payable to the Norfolk Community Foundation and send them to: The NCF, St James Mill, Whitefriars, Norwich, NR3 1SH.