A TOWN council will be asked to take over the running of a struggling market to improve its flagging fortunes.

An investigation by Hambleton District Council found that the Tuesday market in Bedale was suffering because of a lack of visitors to the town caused by competition from out-of-town shopping centres.

The town's farmers' market ended a year ago, and Hambleton councillors decided this week that it would not be feasible to reinstate it at present.

They also decided to approach Bedale Town Council to see if it would be interested in running the Tuesday market, as well as to ask the farmers' market to encourage individual traders to attend and to advertise market days in the Hambleton News.

In Northallerton, councillors decided not to relocate the farmers' market because of concerns over the safety of the taxi rank.

The market takes place on the taxi rank near the town hall every fourth Wednesday of the month, when the taxi rank moves across the High Street to outside the Roy Castle charity shop.

Taxi drivers said the site was dangerous, but councillors this week said they would not reconsider the location of the market.

Instead, they said they would improve signs around the relocated rank and make sure a nearby loading bay was kept clear of stalls.