SALISBURY businesses are being offered cheaper pitches at this year's Christmas market in a bid to boost the city's recovery.

The cost of renting one of the market's retail chalets will be cut by 30 per cent for all traders based within a 20-mile radius of the city centre.

Salisbury Business Improvement District (BID) will use recovery money from central government, given as part of the South Wiltshire recovery programme, to fund the shortfall.

The BID says as well as trader discount, other initiatives are planned to boost trade and footfall in Salisbury over the Christmas period.

Local retailers who have already booked a chalet, of which nearly half are still available, will be eligible for the discount, as will those who book between now and the deadline on October 31.

The market takes place in Guildhall Square from Thursday, November 29 to Sunday, December 23, and last year’s market was the biggest in the event’s seven-year history, attracted more than 200,000 people.

Altogether, more than a million people visited Salisbury in December 2017.

BID chief executive Robin McGowan said: “The market has become a highlight of our city’s festive calendar, providing added interest, a shopping experience to savour and a magnet for visitors.

“This year, as everyone knows, Salisbury has had unprecedented challenges to overcome and it has not been an easy struggle for our city economy.

“That’s why we applied for extra Christmas support from the recovery fund as part of a much wider range of efforts on behalf of local businesses.

“BID members tell us how important a strong Christmas trading period is. We’ve taken that on board and are doing all we can.

“We’re delighted to have secured this extra funding to support the success of this winter’s market. It’s all systems go.”