A MULTI-million pound bid to spruce up Bury Market has been lodged by the town's council chiefs.

The £5m scheme to make the popular market more attractive to shoppers would be jointly funded through government grants and the private sector.

The project, which is also to combat growing competition from rival markets, is part of a larger £13.6m initiative to breathe new life into Bury's town centre.

It includes relocating the Meat and Fish Hall to the former National Westminster Bank.

Cllr Tony Isherwood, markets committee chairman for Bury Metro, said: "The market is crucial to the economy of the town centre so we have to come up with sound ideas that will protect its future." "This bid is the vision for how it can be done. Whilst Bury Market is doing better than most, the reality is the pressure from competition is growing.

"This bid is all about coming back at that competition by upgrading the environment of Bury Market so that it is an attractive place to shop."

Bury director for development services, Mr Ian Cheetham, stressed that a united front was needed from both traders and investors for the ambitious bid to prove successful.

Mr Cheetham added: "Everyone in Bury has to work together in order for us to lay the foundations for a solid future."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.